June 15, 2016 – Waste of Time?

Waste of Time?

“Rest is not idleness, and sometimes to lie on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the blue sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

John Lubbock (1834-1913) English scientist, polymath

The message Lubbock gave readers in the late 19th-early 20th centuries is even more urgent now: Rest is not idleness.

My question for you is, “Do you really — really — believe him? Not just theoretical or intellectual assent, but practical, actual belief; belief that is acted upon so that you regularly put it into practice?

To test your own accuracy, ask yourself, “When was the last time I simply listened to the water or watched the clouds — not just momentarily but for a longer time, a half hour or more?”

Yes, I believe there are ways to waste time — but resting isn’t one of them.

Also, do all you can to put briefer moments of rest into your day. Rest is what most often gets cut out to make way for more to do. It seems expendable; it isn’t, especially in the long run. We pay the price in some way.