I don’t know about you, but I’ve needed a rest.

With the election, change of seasons, COVID news, and the well-being of family on my mind, I’ve felt the urge to sit down and not obligate myself to a whole lot.

Wait, let me adjust that:

With the election, change of seasons, COVID news, and the well-being of family on my mind, I’ve felt the urge to worry, whine about everything I can’t control, and fill my head with too much information about the state of the world.

There, that’s better – or at least more accurate.

I’ll admit it: the toll of these recent months has hit me. I enjoyed the early days, when we just kinda camped out at home and figured it might end in a couple of months. I liked a clear calendar and cozy evenings with a book and extra time during the day with roommates and without a commute. It felt like a social experiment more than a global crisis. (For perspective, I was single and without children at the time. I realize life didn’t look that way for many people!)

Well, life marched on past March and April, and now we’re deep into the fall and my mind is too tightly wound.

I have questions, lots of questions. When will this end? Is it safe to resume the activities that have made me feel the most safe – community, physical activity, and traveling? How do I interact and still love people with different boundaries and priorities than mine, whether for health or political concern?

And while I wrestle with the idea of becoming uncomfortable to love and serve others better, I occasionally wake up to this frustrating fact:

ALL of this has been uncomfortable.

Yes, all of it.

Unclear expectations, shifting government regulations, and the immovable demand of life’s daily tasks have grated on my nerves and have downright scared me at times.

In fact, just the other day, I found myself mentally spiraling with frustration, fear, and a lengthening list of unknowns. In fairness, my husband and I had gotten painful news from several sources over the prior week. We didn’t know how to respond to what had happened, and we didn’t know what choices to make about other things on our mind.

My morning morphed into a battle, fighting to believe and practice trust in God. I sang songs of faith, and I looked at my day and broke down the costs and benefits of different things on the to-do list.

The simple understanding of it is this: each day is a fight, to either foster hope or to fall to the discouragement of the world around us.

That isn’t to say life is easy. To the contrary, life is more difficult than it has been for many of us in a long time, if not ever. Our perspective may not affect our circumstances, but it affects how we interact with and live in our circumstances.

While I’m sick of reading everyone’s opinions about everything (and I do mean everything), I didn’t want to write about an election or a pandemic or anything like that. I originally wanted to contribute something like a plan for taking and prioritizing rest, but I think this may just be a relief post.

Do you know the difference between relief effort and community development? Relief effort is the kind of emergency aid that’s provided to people in crisis: food, water, shelter, etc. Circumstances are dire and extreme, and people need help immediately. Community development builds on the picture of “normal”, working to improve everyday life at a slower, more sustainable pace.¹

Well, while I want to write a “community development” post on rest, I think the state of the union calls for more of a “relief” post.

So, here’s how I’m resting these days. If your head is spinning and you need to anchor yourself somehow, I recommend any of the following as a potential feel-good option to help keep your head up.

• Music. I’ve played my “Relaxing” playlist to death lately. Thankfully, it’s several hours long, so I rarely hear the same song twice in one sitting.
• Taking walks. Getting outside, moving, and looking at the beautiful sky and clouds helps me cast my vision outside myself.
• Reading. Whether a physical book or an audiobook, I want beautiful stories and good theology and thoughtful people in my mind. (If you have a library card, take advantage of the free resources there. I use Hoopla through my library, and I listen to all kinds of stories I wouldn’t sit down and read.)
• Chocolate. I won’t lie to you. My husband said he wanted brownies the other day, so he made brownies, and we ate them. I was so proud of him (not to mention grateful, because… brownies).
• Other people. I have texted friends to see how they’re doing, let them know I’m free for phone calls, and caught up way more than I did before the pandemic. Check in on your people- and give them permission to check in on you. This is also a moment to pitch for trying a good counselor if you haven’t yet.
• God’s Word. I’m a Christian, and I value the Bible as the ultimate source of wisdom and guidance for how to do life. If you have questions, aren’t sure where to start, or don’t think the Bible is a place to go for encouragement and perspective, then I’d suggest starting in Psalms. *cue all the emotions*

I have more thoughts, but let’s face it: we need a break. I hope to offer more sustainable plans for rest next week. In the meantime, I hope you can find some relief.

God bless you.

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¹Definitions found at ReliefWeb, a service provided by OCHA. Link: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/phases-disaster-recovery-emergency-response-long-term