Down the road from our house stands a monastery of cloistered Carmelite nuns. Their hidden life intrigues me, so the other day, I decided to look up what a typical day looks like for them. If you’ve ever been curious, I encourage you to do the same—many cloistered orders share their daily schedules online or in church narthex displays.
Their lives are governed by a written rule, sometimes called an horarium. It outlines how their days are spent in prayer, work, silence, and community.
As I studied their schedule, I wasn’t struck so much by what the sisters do. Instead, I was struck by what they don’t do.
You won’t find time blocked out for scrolling through social media. No mention of chilling with Netflix or binging YouTube videos. Not even listening to the radio.
The absence is telling.
Their life isn’t something most of us can—or should—fully imitate. We have other duties and obligations, living out our vocations in the world. But maybe we can learn something from their omissions.
What if we were more intentional about what doesn’t fill our days? What distractions could we let go of to create space for silence, prayer, or simply being present?
The nuns remind us that holiness isn’t just about what we do. Sometimes it’s about what we choose not to do.