A reminder to take proper rest?
Of late my sleep has been restless so I often wake up tired. By afternoon (with or without lunch) I often find my eyes drooping and my head heavy, and it takes a lot of effort to focus.
A few days ago, I got this an email and have extracted the following from the email
According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity.
Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical man, "Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bow implies."
The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. The moralist explained, "If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it."
So it is with us. Our minds and bodies are like the bow. When constantly under pressures of everyday life, we can eventually break. We need to loosen up; we need time to take the pressure off and relax. For some, that may mean time off to rest and recreate. For some, it may mean Sabbath. It is no wonder that observing the Sabbath in Judeo-Christian tradition is a commandment, not a suggestion.
.......
Former baseball pitcher Dutch Leonard might have put it a little differently. He once said that the secret of great pitching is not speed or the ability to throw curves. It's the "change of pace." The average batter will soon learn to hit a pitcher who continually throws the same kind of pitch. But it's hard to hit against a pitcher who changes the pace of delivery. That change of pace gives a pitcher the edge over the best of batters.
A change of pace likewise gives us an edge in life. Taking time to watch the clouds, enjoy a breeze, take a walk, read or just slow down is necessary if we are to be our best later. And for me, a regular day of rest is as important as regular sleep. It's a way of taking the pressure off.
To be my best, I need to be sure to change my pace. It is usually
just the change I need.
-- Steve Goodier
I think I may be pushing myself a little too hard (though it bothers me that I am currently in a less busy period!). Perhaps I need to get away and be alone by myself OR take a few days off to indulge in a hobby and / or just sleep.
1 Kings 19 is a passage that jumps to my mind ... but it does seem to me almost arrogant to compare what I am possibly feeling with that of Elijah!
A few days ago, I got this an email and have extracted the following from the email
According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity.
Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical man, "Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bow implies."
The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. The moralist explained, "If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it."
So it is with us. Our minds and bodies are like the bow. When constantly under pressures of everyday life, we can eventually break. We need to loosen up; we need time to take the pressure off and relax. For some, that may mean time off to rest and recreate. For some, it may mean Sabbath. It is no wonder that observing the Sabbath in Judeo-Christian tradition is a commandment, not a suggestion.
.......
Former baseball pitcher Dutch Leonard might have put it a little differently. He once said that the secret of great pitching is not speed or the ability to throw curves. It's the "change of pace." The average batter will soon learn to hit a pitcher who continually throws the same kind of pitch. But it's hard to hit against a pitcher who changes the pace of delivery. That change of pace gives a pitcher the edge over the best of batters.
A change of pace likewise gives us an edge in life. Taking time to watch the clouds, enjoy a breeze, take a walk, read or just slow down is necessary if we are to be our best later. And for me, a regular day of rest is as important as regular sleep. It's a way of taking the pressure off.
To be my best, I need to be sure to change my pace. It is usually
just the change I need.
-- Steve Goodier
I think I may be pushing myself a little too hard (though it bothers me that I am currently in a less busy period!). Perhaps I need to get away and be alone by myself OR take a few days off to indulge in a hobby and / or just sleep.
1 Kings 19 is a passage that jumps to my mind ... but it does seem to me almost arrogant to compare what I am possibly feeling with that of Elijah!
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