I remember being in love with Sundays. I remember being 7 years old and having an entire day ahead of me filled with possibility and relaxation. I remember lengthy homemade mashed potato meals after church. I remember parental naps during football games and reading books by the fire. I faintly remember sitting in lawn chairs in the garage with my dad doing absolutely nothing. I remember time slowing down and Sundays lasting for weeks.
I grew up and things got busier; and Sundays got faster and all that love turned to dread because Sundays were no longer glorious weekend days but an introduction to Mondays – and everyone knows what Mondays bring. Early mornings, jam-packed days, no-time-to-cook-a-meal fast food, late nights, and surface level happiness.
Ometepe retaught me how to sit still. It wasn’t until week two of island life when I was sitting in my hammock literally doing nothing when I realized I was cured. Only two months ago I couldn’t watch more than fifteen minutes of tv without getting anxious; I hated being left home alone with my thoughts; I spent my days in rush hour traffic getting road rage and constantly needed to be on the go. I was an American and I glorified business. Now suddenly, I found myself swinging in my hammock –just God and me – completely content. I had the entire day to spend any way I pleased with what felt like countless hours of availability; exactly like a childhood Sunday.
The World Race makes you really good at movement; Change your country, change your ministry, change your routine. “Movement is a privilege,” cultural novelist Pico Iyer says. “Movement is only as good as the stillness you put next to it to get perspective.” You can’t exactly enjoy having nothing to do if you are constantly bored; and you can’t see the benefit of being productive if you never get a break.
Living in a month of Sundays gave me peace; and I no longer need to be constantly busy or distracted to find temporary contentment. I can finally, again, be content doing nothing or doing everything. I am happy spending time with myself. Stillness – highly recommended.
-C
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