On our morning walk yesterday, our four-year-old looked at me and said: “Mama, my feet just can’t go anymore.”
I knew exactly the feeling he was describing. The weight of loss and grief combined with the severance from community is exhausting right now. Not to mention the additional responsibilities of trying to work and homeschool and care for children. The allowances that were given to people working from home in regards to presence and performance have disappeared as businesses start opening only perpetuating the exhaustion we feel.
“We can’t continue like this.” Behind those words, I hear fatigue and loss and loneliness.
This is soul talk.
When words like these come from our mouths, our souls are trying to get our attention. Our brains have not been able to solve or change or control our circumstances. We have been continuing to live like this much longer than we expected. We hear the news that we may have to continue to live like this for longer.
And so our souls cry out for rest. Some way to rest and replenish so that we may receive the strength to do the very thing we don’t think we can do any longer.
But how do we find soul rest?
It may be reading a good book, taking a nap, listening to hymns, talking to a good friend, or worshipping virtually with a community of faith. During this unusual season, I am finding my soul is reminding me of things she has always loved. I didn’t remember how much I loved watching birds until we saw two pileated woodpeckers on our walk. I didn’t remember how much I loved baking until I had time to be home and smell pumpkin bread and chocolate chips cookies being created in the oven.
Souls are tricky to find. They hide beneath other voices that have raised us and tried to train us into compliance. Souls also ask for the strangest things like guitar lessons or a new set of pants or a certain type of pen.
Practicing deep breathing with your hand on your heart and the other hand on your core is a great place to start to give your soul room to breathe and rest. When we do give this time and space, our souls become less camouflaged and more insistent with their needs.
Your soul is trying to speak to you. Your soul needs rest.
Grant us the time and space to replenish our souls we pray O God, Amen.