I recently stumbled upon an Instagram post by one of my favorite contemporary poets, Morgan Harper Nichols, that stood out to me in a big way.
It was a simple drawing of a rest stop sign that said “Rest Stop: 5 miles” and in parentheses stated, “And you are not weak for needing rest.”
Morgan wrote, “How wonderful would it be if the ‘rest stop’ signs that lined the interstate also lined the interstate of life.”
I immediately reposted.
In my adult life, I’ve often found that it takes me a longer time than most to recover from busyness. I am very easily overstimulated. After being around large groups of people—or even after simple tasks such as talking on the phone or going to the store—I need to give myself a break, sit in quiet, or lose myself in a simple task like reading a book.
I have often felt weak for needing this. So Morgan’s reminder that you are not weak for needing rest really hit home for me.
We need to pay attention to the things we need in order to be our best selves, and we need to make that clear to others. This is something I’m working on.
I know exactly how much I can take on, and I know exactly when I’m pushing myself too hard and saying yes to too many things. This self-awareness comes with practice, but I have little ways of noticing. I start to forget things and make silly mistakes, and that is when I know I need to pull back.
In our modern society, this isn’t something that is often accepted. People understand when others are physically sick, but that seems to be the only time we allow for rest.
Sometimes saying, “I just have too much on my plate right now and I simply cannot take this task on,” is not accepted. Because everyone’s busy, and everyone’s tired and everyone needs rest.
People will push back on you when you try to assert your needs.
But Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
We have a Sabbath day builtin for rest.
Jesus often took solitary time away to rest and he encouraged those following him to rest, as well. “He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat” (Mark 6:31).
As the weather starts to get warmer and spring approaches, let us turn our faces toward the sun.
We have all lived through a pandemic that drastically changed our lives for almost three years. I’d say that, alone, is a good enough reason to allow for rest.
What is life if not lived, and how can we live if we don’t allow ourselves the time?
I can’t imagine that Jesus’ disciples, upon His crucifixion, wished for anything but more quality time with their loved one. And if we are too overwhelmed with tasks and to-do lists, when can we have that time? It is often not until a tragedy such as a loss or an illness occurs that we allow for rest.
But I challenge you (and myself) to not let it go on until then.
This Lenten season, can we listen to ourselves and those around us who are crying out for rest?