Before the Rush


 

As the sun was rising and the eastern sky was glowing a soft orange and pink, a lone balloon slowly ascended to mark a new Sunday and a new week. The balloon seemed to ease into the sky, and I wondered what it would be like to go for a ride as the dawn breaks. Is it quiet? Is it a gentle journey? Is it as peaceful up there as it appears from the ground far below? I wonder.
As school has started and so many are struggling to find routine again in their lives and homes, I thought of the simple pleasure of easing into a day as opposed to waking up in a rush. Somewhere to be. A list of things to accomplish before the work day begins. Responsibilities and the needs of others moving us quickly from sleep to full speed ahead without much time in between. As the saying goes, “we hit the ground running” and stop only when our head hits the pillow again at night. A few hours of sleep and we do it all over again.
Even though families to care for and work to do are blessings for which we should always be thankful, we need some space to pause and breathe. The Gospel of Mark describes a routine of Jesus’ life in these words: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” With all Jesus wanted to accomplish, he knew it started first with time in prayer before the rush. He found his strength there. He found his focus there. He found his purpose there. Maybe we can as well.
Peace.

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