Rest Is Life-Giving

Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

I wonder if we have lost a sense of the need to rest. In a world that touts productivity as our ultimate goal, there seems little room to slow down. I wonder if we have begun to imagine living IS doing?!

I fear we have demonized rest. To be disinclined to activity is actually healthy. Meandering through our lives occasionally, perhaps regularly, is an invitation to appreciate life. There is so much to see and experience without feeling measured by a production quota.

Slowing, I see the flowers and even smell a few. I hear the sounds of the nearby playground, children playing and screaming. I feel my body repairing and replenishing. Stress loses its prominent grip on breathing and heart rate. I am here.

Today, Friday, is my weekly “lazy day.” It is my Sabbath rest and invitation to quiet and reflection. I slow and disengage. I am reminded I am alive. I hope you have a regularly designated day of rest. It is a lovely practice.