Working to Find Rest

We are driven to work by insecurity and desire.

We are told to be nervous about becoming irrelevant. We are urged to keep our skills and experience up to date. We are advised that we could lose our livelihood, and our retirement, at any moment. We are anxious that technology, or foreign competition, or other unforeseen circumstances, could put us out of work.

We are told that we need to be willing to work hard to earn what we want to have. We are constantly told, over and over again, about all the things we desire. Without them, our lives will not be complete.

We believe that we are working to get to the place where we just have enough, but we never seem to have enough.

We get to the point where we just want to rest, but even our idea of rest is built on anxiety and desire. We need to get away, to distract ourselves, to take our family somewhere nice. We just need to make sure that we are still accessible, still available by phone and email. You never know what might happen while we are away.

I used to be the kind of person who knew no rest. Whenever I took time away, which was rare, I would get sick. I spent the first few days of any time away in bed.

I think my body was trying to tell me something, but I was not listening.

Finding rest is important. Knowing peace reshapes our understanding of who we are and what we need. Taking time away allows our minds and hearts to gain new insights, to grow deeper.

The depth, the insight we gain through rest are what we really desire.

What drives you to work each day?

When do you find rest?

[Image by slgckgc]