An open letter to those who need to rest




Dear Exhausted One,

You don't have to keep going at a breakneck pace to live a productive life. Sometimes the best times are the ones that society claims are 'wasted', but no time is truly wasted, because the so-called wasted time is what fortifies us and prepares us for the productive time. Rest is a vitally important part of our life, something that we are slowly cutting out of our society. More's the pity, because we are creating an entire generation that believes they always have to be busy. Every hour must be planned, college must be a time of working three jobs and taking twenty credit hours. That's great for some, but not for everyone. Some of us need our journaling time, and our music time, and our staring off into space time. If you happen to be an introvert, like I am, you need that quiet time just for your own mental health and energy,

So to those who need that 'wasted' time, it's okay. it's needed, and if you have hobbies that you enjoy, then it's necessary to take time to enjoy them,

And sometimes. Sometimes you just need to crash, sleep until noon, drink a lot of tea, and cry a little. Take time to recover from life, and from work, and from whatever it was that exhausted you so much. Jesus often withdrew to a solitary place to pray, and if Jesus set that example for us, why do we so often feel that we need to keep going like the energizer bunny and push ourselves too hard?

Because we somehow talk ourselves into believing that we are not good stewards of our time unless every possible second is accounted for. I've basically spent the past two months resting and I had to learn not to feel guilty about it.
I'm just now getting back into the swing of normal life, but its still a lot more restful compared to my life last semester. There's no studying, no looming deadlines, and no 8 am classes. It's a most wonderful feeling. A much needed feeling.

So enjoy it, and dont make yourself feel guilty for rest. and dont let anyone else make you feel guilty either.

Love, Shannon.




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