Another slow day

After our day trip to Staunton, we spent yesterday quietly at the resort. We were tired, and we had some aches and pains, and I needed to do some more nothing. I sat in my beautiful window nook for a time. We went down to the café to enjoy some coffee and games of cards together. We put together nice sandwiches with really good deli meats and cheeses. I took a wonderful nap. We watched an episode of Holiday Baking Championship, and I made a pasta with sausage, peppers, and onions. We participated virtually in Shabbat worship. It was a nice, slow, quiet day. The rhythms of being, together.

It's hard for me, a few days into this time of rest and renewal, to even describe how desperately, frantically exhausted I was beforehand. It felt like I was clinging to all my obligations by my fingernails... and I have very weak Ehlers-Danlos-y fingernails that pull and peel and crack. Everything was slipping from me, and I constantly felt about 30 minutes from just plopping down wherever I stood and crying. I know K saw a couple times when I was just too stressed out to decide something trivial, and I stopped where I was and the tears started. It is, in fact, why we are here in the mountains recharging instead of taking a trip to New York City. I was entirely too fried to do the preparation, to find a hotel room and things to do while being mobility-challenged and energy-challenged. We decided to postpone that trip, giving us the opportunity for this time of rest. It has been life-saving. That may sound dramatic, but I promise it is not.

I've said a little about what I'm starting here. Abraham is responsible for being a blessing on a grand scale, on the scale of nations and the world. So what is Sarah's blessing? I propose that we think of Sarah's blessing being at the level of individuals and families, on the small scale. The blessings of a friend's hug, of a son who drops a kiss on the top of his mother's head, of a moment of patience for the beleaguered office assistant or store clerk, of pausing to take a breath before wading into someone's conflict.

I would say that it's important to be blessing for ourselves, as well. At the very least, we need to not be a curse to ourselves! This precious week of renewal is a blessing for me, and I'm pretty sure it's a blessing for K, and I hope we've brought blessing to the people we've encountered. I've been reflecting on how to bring this blessing home with us in a few days. We have a few things we've purchased: a winter hat and a scarf, a gorgeous piece of artwork that I can't wait to hang, a couple of books, some postcards and stickers, a bottle of mead and a bottle of wine. Those will definitely carry memories of blessing for us. I've kept these journal entries, and there's a folder in my personal knowledge base where I've stashed links, tickets, and photos.

As you think about bringing the blessing of Sarah to others in your life, I hope you will reflect on how to give yourself Sarah's blessing as well. You know what? You totally deserve it.