I just returned from a glorious vacation. My family took a cruise to Alaska with my parents and my brother's family. It was seven wonderful and action-packed days. We ate scrumptious food, attended art auctions and beer tasting, played bingo, watched whales off the side of the ship and went on adventurous land excursions like zip lining and sea kayaking. Wonderful!
Did I also mention it was action-packed?! There was so much to do on the ship. Each evening the next day's itinerary would be delivered to our stateroom. It was in checklist form so you could plan your day. It encouraged you to fill your day with all the cool activities. That is what I did for the first three days: back-to-back fun. But on day four I wandered around the ship looking for a quiet corner in which to hide. I am not against fun. I love fun! But I also really enjoy being quiet. I even wondered if they had a separate room for introverts. (The answer is no.)
I managed to find a place where I could read or just sit and watch the sea move by. It helped me to be in the moment, which is one of the things I need on a vacation. I certainly need fun, especially fun I do not have to plan since that is a good part of my work. But I also need quiet. The daily checklist always had me looking ahead to the next activity. I found I wasn't totally in any one moment because I didn't want to be late for the next fun thing.
Now I am home and like most other people who travel - I need a vacation to recover from my vacation!
When my alarm sounded this morning, I seriously thought about not going to church.
We got in late last night....
It is a holiday weekend. No one will mind if I miss.....
What I really need is to recharge my batteries and not be surrounded by more people....
Something pulled at me. Maybe it was the hope for a quiet moment and the chance to just "be".
I went and then...this was what I heard in the gospel reading, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. You will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28,29b) That is what I needed - a soulful rest. Not to sleep in or wait a day to do laundry. I needed to be still and sit with God. That moment in worship was my bodily reminder of the sometimes missing piece of what I need for the rhythm of my life.
We are not meant to only work or only play or only rest; to live our life in segments. All of those things in their daily ebb and flow give meaning to our lives. That is what I was searching for on the ship. Not to totally check out but a chance in the midst of play to find some soulful rest. This is my goal now as I return to work. I don't need another vacation. I just need to live into the rhythm of each day and find moments of meaningful work, joy-filled play and soulful rest.
(And now, off to start the laundry…)
~ Pam
Did I also mention it was action-packed?! There was so much to do on the ship. Each evening the next day's itinerary would be delivered to our stateroom. It was in checklist form so you could plan your day. It encouraged you to fill your day with all the cool activities. That is what I did for the first three days: back-to-back fun. But on day four I wandered around the ship looking for a quiet corner in which to hide. I am not against fun. I love fun! But I also really enjoy being quiet. I even wondered if they had a separate room for introverts. (The answer is no.)
I managed to find a place where I could read or just sit and watch the sea move by. It helped me to be in the moment, which is one of the things I need on a vacation. I certainly need fun, especially fun I do not have to plan since that is a good part of my work. But I also need quiet. The daily checklist always had me looking ahead to the next activity. I found I wasn't totally in any one moment because I didn't want to be late for the next fun thing.
Now I am home and like most other people who travel - I need a vacation to recover from my vacation!
When my alarm sounded this morning, I seriously thought about not going to church.
We got in late last night....
It is a holiday weekend. No one will mind if I miss.....
What I really need is to recharge my batteries and not be surrounded by more people....
Something pulled at me. Maybe it was the hope for a quiet moment and the chance to just "be".
I went and then...this was what I heard in the gospel reading, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. You will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28,29b) That is what I needed - a soulful rest. Not to sleep in or wait a day to do laundry. I needed to be still and sit with God. That moment in worship was my bodily reminder of the sometimes missing piece of what I need for the rhythm of my life.
We are not meant to only work or only play or only rest; to live our life in segments. All of those things in their daily ebb and flow give meaning to our lives. That is what I was searching for on the ship. Not to totally check out but a chance in the midst of play to find some soulful rest. This is my goal now as I return to work. I don't need another vacation. I just need to live into the rhythm of each day and find moments of meaningful work, joy-filled play and soulful rest.
(And now, off to start the laundry…)
~ Pam
