Last Sunday we visited Universal Studios with our son and two of our grandsons. It was a treat to spend the day with them, and we thought it would be a pleasant distraction from the woes of the world. We thought perhaps because of the economy, there would be fewer people and the lines would be short.

Wrong! It was packed. It was orderly, but so crowded that we could barely walk without bumping into people. Everyone else within a 3000 mile radius must have had the same idea. And many of them were from China. I guess their economy is thriving. The announcements over the loudspeaker were spoken in both English and Mandarin Chinese.

We arrived around 10:00 am and by noon we were dragging. By the time we left in the afternoon, Ron and I swore we would never come back. And the reason? It was not the crowds. It was the deafening noise. Every inch of Universal Studios had video screens and loudspeakers pumping out a constant stream of noise. The music would overlap from one section to another, with clashing rhythms and jarring drum beats. There was not even a respite in the bathrooms. Everything was impossibly loud and we felt like we were beaten down, bit by bit, note by discordant note. By the time we left, we could barely speak, desperately craving peace and quiet.

“The Guides” say that this is the most complex time in human history. It is a technological masterpiece, with greater and more complex ways to communicate. However, as we fill our space with more and more distractions, it takes us further from the inner peace that we so deeply crave. The serenity of our soul seems far removed.

Ron was given the gift of the DVD series, “Planet Earth,” for his birthday. We hunkered down and watched exquisite images of parts of the earth that are untouched by civilization, as seen through the amazing technology of time lapse cameras and special helicopters. The beauty of Divine creation calmed our nerves and restored our equilibrium.

If you live in a city like Los Angeles as we do, I guess it takes technology to show us the peace and majesty of our extraordinary earth. An oxymoron indeed!

Because there are more distractions in life than ever, it seems even more important to take time to meditate or to do some kind of spiritual practice. Do you meditate? Be sure to answer the question in this month’s poll.