solitude

part of my job is that i am required to take one day of solitude every month. it's not a day off or a time to do whatever i want, it is scheduled time to rest. to be quiet. to listen. apparently young life staff people have tendencies to overwork and give and give until they are empty. to not take the time they need to be spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally...etc....well. as a person who has a really hard time resting, this is a great thing for me. no way around it. one day a month i have to tune the world out and listen to myself.

so yesterday i took my first day of solitude. i got up, ran, ate breakfast, laid on my floor, and had no idea what else to do. i do not do well with doing nothing. so i read for a while. which is allowed. after i couldn't process any more of the master plan of evangelism, i laid back on my floor and tried to quiet my mind. things i suck at. for me, the best place i can rest is in my hammock. so i found a park. i set up my hammock in a tree by a lake. and i laid. for hours. i prayed i read i wrote i listened to podcasts. i literally just hung out with jesus. all day. it was glorious. i had no phone and no one to talk to. (except for the lovely gentleman who asked me if i was homeless...really?) i quieted my soul. something that is not very easy for me. i rested. and goodness i was so energized afterwards. so ready to take on the world. it was so good for me.