In the absence of self-care


I am sitting in a Panera in Cleveland, TN on this early, rainy Monday morning. This is the first Monday in recent memory that I haven’t been rushing to wake up and roll out of bed to speed off to work. It is also the first time in almost a year that I have left Charlotte, NC for more than one day. I’m on vacation…something I haven’t really experienced in quite a while.


As I sip on my delicious tea (yes, I brought my own into Panera, but I bought a bagel, so I don’t feel bad), I am reminded of a time when I was in school at Belmont University and attended a spiritual formation retreat. Much of our conversation on that retreat was centered on self-care and the importance of taking time to stop, listen, and breathe. We discussed taking time out of each day for reflection, contemplation, and meditation. It was an incredible retreat away from the busyness of my last semester of college.

Over the last year, my work has had me going non-stop. This is the first real time off I’ve taken the entire year, and I have determined to do very little, if any, work-related tasks. In the absence of self-care over the last year, I have found myself burnt-out, unable to interact with other people properly, and constantly tired. I have only written blogs five times in the last year, whereas I once was a blogging juggernaut. I have been stuck in a rut. And I’m hoping that taking these two weeks off work to visit friends and relax will help pull me out of my stasis.

I plan to drink a lot of tea (instead of selling it), and I will absolutely be enjoying great food and wonderful friends. Autumn is slowly creeping in here down south, and these little rainstorms are gradually cooling the air. Even now, as I emote via blog, the sun is peaking out from behind the clouds, and it seems as if even my surroundings are saying, “It’s time for you to take a break.”

And so I will. Today begins my two weeks of intentional self-care and rejuvenation. Here’s to good friends, good food, and good tea. Blessings and peace to all of you.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The gospel according to Gaga

Let me be clear from the outset of this post: I thoroughly enjoy Lady Gaga’s music. I love that she advocates for the rights of LGBT people. I love that she is an entertainer, and that her music tells a story…even if that story is often just plain weird. I would give just about anything to meet her and/or attend one of her concerts. I find her music both provocative and addicting. However, Gaga is not a religious scholar.
Read more

Finding solace amidst messages of hate

I have been dealing with a broken heart this evening. As I continue to encounter more and more hateful speech spewing from pulpits around the country, I've been left wondering where the voices in opposition are. I know many pastors and faith leaders who disagree with the teachings of Ron Baity, Charles Worley, Sean Harris, and many others. But where are their voices? Why can't I find them anywhere in the news. I understand how we sensationalize the macabre, but the LGBT community needs to hear the voices of those who affirm them from pulpits as well.
Read more

Toward a public theology

So here it is, my new blog. I've created this space to provide a location for me to seriously blog about serious things. A little more intentional than stream-of-consciousness...So we'll see how this plays out. I find myself whining about how no one takes my other, personal blog seriously. However, upon reading many of the entries, I can understand why that is. As fun as stream-of-consciousness writing is, it is hard to be taken too seriously when any legitimate thoughts one may have are jumbled amongst painfully hysterical YouTube clips. That's why I have created this place. I wanted to have somewhere I could post my own thoughts, and occasionally the thoughts of others, in relation to an increasingly broad range of theological topics. The title of this blog is "An Old Emergence." I chose this title and web address to highlight a few things about me and about what I will be saying here. I have a new appreciation for the connection of church history with contempor...
Read more