Thursday, August 14, 2014

When Sabbath is Hard Revisited

As we get closer to the weekend I thought this would be an appropriate post to share.  For those of us who often use work as a place to escape Sabbath can be hard. It can be hard to set down the work, step away from email and social media.  What will we find when we let ourselves stop, get quiet?  Will we like what we experience?  Hopefully the answer to this is yes!  Hopefully we greet our Sabbath time with joy.  After all in the Jewish tradition Sabbath is greeted like a bride - with joy.  Sabbath is meant to be sweet!

Yet for some of us or maybe just some of the time, Sabbath is hard. In order to keep going we have pushed our feelings aside or down.  We had to just keep going (or at least we thought we did at that time) and now that we have stopped our feelings will no longer let us deny them and push them away.  Then maybe we need Sabbath time even more.  Maybe then we need to let ourselves feel, let ourselves cry, yell, scream, journal, draw. Maybe it is time to call a good friend and talk for a very long time.  Maybe it is a good time to call the professional person - therapist, spiritual leader or director.  Who is it you call when you need someone to listen unconditionally without judgement and without trying to fix you or it?  Do you have someone?

Particularly for those of us who work in careers where we care for others, it is too easy to forget ourselves. We too need time off, someone to listen, someone to hold us.  In fact, it is essential, for if our own wells are dry, what resources will we draw from to serve others?

Also this has been a hard week. So many of us are reeling from the death of the beloved Robin Williams.  So many of us are in despair about the death of two unarmed young men at the hands of police and the subsequent anger, protests and being reminded once again that racism is alive and well.

So I invite all of us to welcome the Sabbath even when it is hard.  Share in the comments what fills your wells when they are empty.  What do you do when Sabbath is hard?  Also share what makes Sabbath sweet. How do you welcome Sabbath as a bride?

Blessings on this Sabbath!  Whether hard or joyful, may it be a time of rest and renewal!


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