Climbing the heights

I went for a hike today up Flagstaff, a peak that overlooks Boulder. At one point, when I stopped the turny-twisty route in my borrowed Jeep, I found a great look-out. I walked out to the edge of a large mass of boulders that seemed to be barely clinging to the edge of the mountain but proved to be sturdy enough for anyone to climb. It was so peaceful, but so scary at the same time. I realized my need for time with God. To just sit and be still in His presence. I am reading through one of Henri Nouwen's diaries. He wrote it while staying for 7 months with Trappist monks in New York. I don't know about you, but I have such a hard time focusing on God. It seems like I just don't know how to do it anymore. With so much STUFF in the world to fill our minds, how do we ever recognize our need for Him to fill us, when we are feeding on the candy? That stuff fills us up for a short time, but I find myself empty a lot of the time. Why? I guess I just don't know how to just 'be.' Anyway, Nouwen tries to empty his mind for space for God to inhabit.
He writes:

"I keep thinking about distracting things and wonder if I ever will be "empty for God." The idea occurred to me that instead of excluding I could include all my thoughts, ideas, plans, projects, worries and concerns and make them into prayer. (this is the key..) Instead of directing my attention only to God, I might direct my attention to all my attachments and lead them into the all-embracing arms of God." (The Genessee Diary, Nouwen)
I wrote this today atop that mountain:

I wanna scale the walls of doubt
The treason of my pouts
And dare to fill my lungs with air
Up here so high
I can almost see inside
The room I've barely set aside
For you
Problems, concerns, self, insecurities
Crowd out your place
The space you've claimed as yours
I can almost see the other side
From up on these mountains
Every step an effort
Every branch cracks
As burdens fall to the ground
Crack, crunch, thump
With every foot I place
The past, the present, the future are erased
And all that's left is You.