Todayourlifeandworkrarelyfeellight,pleasantorhealing.Instead,thewholeexperienceofbeingalivebeginstomeltintooneenormousobligation.Itbecomesthestandardgreetingeverywhere:“Iamsobusy.”Wesaythistooneanotherwithnosmalldegreeofpride.Thebusierweare,themoreimportantweseemtoourselvesand,weimagine,toothers.
Tobeunavailabletoourfriendsandfamily,tobeunabletofindtimeforthesunset,towhizthroughourobligationswithouttimeforasinglemindfulbreath—thishasbecomethemodelofasuccessfullife.Becausewedonotrest,weloseourway.Welosethenourishmentthatgivesushelp.Wemissthequietthatgivesuswisdom.Poisonedbythebeliefthatgoodthingscomeonlythroughtirelesseffort,wenevertrulyrest.Thisisnottheworldwedreamedofwhenwewereyoung.
Howdidwegetsoterriblyrushedinaworldsaturatedwithworkandresponsibility,yetsomehowbereftofjoyanddelight?WehaveforgottentheSabbath.Sabbathisthetimetoenjoyandcelebratewhatisbeautifulandgood—timetolightcandles,singsongs,worship,tellstories,blessourchildrenandlovedones,givethanks,sharemeals,nap,andwalk.Itistimetobenourishedandrefreshedasweletourwork,ourchoresandourimportantprojectsliefallow,trustingthattherearelargerforcesatworktakingcareoftheworldwhenweareatrest.
Sabbathismorethantheabsenceofwork.Manyofus,inourdesperatedrivetobesuccessfulandcareforourmanyresponsibilitiesfeelterribleguiltwhenwetaketimetorest.ButtheSabbathhasprovenitswisdomovertheages.Manyofusstillrecallwhen,notlongago,shopsandofficeswereclosedonSundays.ThosequietSundayafternoonsareembeddedinourculturalmemory.
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