I just returned from vacationing in sunny south Georgia where my family resides. It was good. Really good! I played golf with my brothers, and took long walks with my dog, Baby. Each day was slow. Each day I would take my two nieces and my nephew to their favorite restaurant, Chick Filet. Much of the time I just sat around the kitchen table talking with my Mom and drinking a lot of ice tea. In other words, it was not a working vacation.
Years ago I remember reading a little book by Tim Hansel entitled, ‘When I Relax I Feel Guilty’. His major thought was that many of us in America do not know how to relax. And when we do, we feel guilty. What is it about us that makes us feel that we have to constantly be producing something to earn our worth and value? What would happen if we just let go of our need to always be in control? Maybe, if we could let go of our need to impress others we might enjoy God more and especially our relationships with one another. We might actually have more fun living!
Here is the paradox: when we are able to let go and relax a very interesting thing often happens— we begin to see things with a fresh perspective. Our energy and enthusiasm returns and our creativity flows again.
Brian Eno, composer, muscian, producer, (U2, Talking Heads, Roxy Music) describes his creative process works:
“The difficulty of always feeling that you ought to be doing something is that you tend to undervalue the times when you’re aparently doing nothing, and those are very important times. It’s the equivalent of the dream time, in your daily life, times when things get sorted out and reshuffled. If you’re constantly awake work-wise you don’t allow that to happen. One of the reasons I have to take distinct breaks when I work is to allow the momentum of a particular direction to run down, so that another one can establish itself.”
All of this is to say that I had a wonderful time during the past week doing nothing. I feel refreshed, renewed and ready to help God bring the kingdom of Heaven to Richmond again.
So much— for doing nothing!
Ralph
I also read that same book. I have finally learned how to “do nothing” and it feels wonderful! I love to stop and enjoy smelling the flowers, hearing the birds sing, watching the shadows and rain drops on tree leaves and just watching the clouds move across God’s heaven. I also use this time to talk to my dear departed ones that are now walking with our Lord.
By: Sharon Brittle on June 6, 2011
at 11:17 am
Read a book once that was titled: “Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There”. Not terribly impressed with the book, but still think there is great wisdom in the title.
By: theabbot on June 11, 2011
at 7:48 am