Meaningful Reflections: Finding a safe place for self-care  

By Kim Crawford Meeks
Spiritual Health & Counseling Manager

C. Austin Miles was a pharmacist in 1912, and photography was his hobby. Miles found his darkroom perfect for developing not just his photographs, but also his spiritual life. The quiet and privacy of his darkroom with the strange blue glow offered Miles the opportunity to be quiet, still, read, and reflect.  

One day in March 1912, while waiting for some film to develop, he wrote the beautiful song “In the Garden.” He was studying a favorite inspirational story and later said, “As I read it that day, I seemed to be part of the scene…. My hands were resting on the text while I stared at the light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of the garden, looking down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches.... I awakened in full light, and I wrote as quickly as the words would be formed the poem exactly as it has since appeared. That same evening, I wrote the music.” – C. Austin Miles,  from “Then Sings My Soul,” (Robert J. Morgan, Thomas J. Nelson, 2003). 

A verse from “In the Garden”:

He speaks and the sound of his voice 
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing, 
And the melody that he gave to me 
Within my heart is ringing 

Part of our self-care should be to know our safe place and to be sure we are spending quiet time there. You never know what comfort you may find, the peace you may experience, or the inspiration you may realize.  

Wherever your quiet space may be, the time you spend there may help to illuminate the darkness with hope. The melody was ringing in the heart of Austin Miles, and it rings still in the hearts of countless others inspired by his work in his quiet space. 

Learn more about Spiritual Health and Counseling at USA Health. Patients, family members, and USA Health associates are encouraged to call the Meaningful Reflections Line at 251-445-9016 for a daily recorded word of encouragement.