Stop right there

Although the Christmas season has not yet begun, most people are incredibly busy. I am no exception.

What is going on?

As a self-confessed over-do-er and under-be-er, I know from bitter experience that over busyness is a costly and counter productive way to approach life. I also see this as one of the greatest current threats to our collective health. Did we fail to incorporate the lessons of Covid?

Last weekend a quote from my pastor spoke straight to the heart of this matter.

‘Sometimes we need to slow down enough for our soul to catch up with our body’.

Wow.

I would take this a step further by adding,

‘Sometimes we need to still the mind enough for the body to rest, recover and recognise what it needs for the soul to catch up.’

I am painfully aware that my own mind is prone to racing around all over the shop at a ridiculous speed, dragging my poor knackered body behind it. When I ignore the pain and protests of my body for any prolonged period, I pay the price with my psychological and physical health. 

The body, mind, heart and soul are not made for non-stop doing with non-start being.

The slogan of the old Mars advert comes to mind:

‘Work, rest and play.’

When the balance and interplay of these are out of whack, malfunctioning occurs.

And so, before I get lost in all the activity surrounding the wonder, magic and Jesus-ness of December (Nb – Jesus is not just for Christmas), I am giving my body permission to take time out from doing. Then, instead of storing this knowledge in some already overstuffed cupboard of my mind, I will be still enough to reflect on what steps I need to take and what steps I do not need to take, to re-dress the balance.

Our individual and collective physical and psychological health depend upon our willingness to do this and keep doing this, by taking time out from doing everything else.

To know, but not act upon this knowing, could cost us more than any budget blowing Christmas ever could.