Greetings to the POJ:
Thank you, POJ, for some time off! I journeyed to Alaska via a cruise ship and took a lot of pictures! If you have ever thought of an Alaska cruise, I say, “Go for it!” Six of my extended family members traveled together, and we all had a great time!
This being my first ever cruise, I truly did not know what to expect. Here is a lesson that took me a couple of days to figure out. It concerns “time.”
My first evening, a crew member passed by me with a cart full of small rugs but really thought little of it. The next day, it happened again. Curious, but I had things to do!
On the third morning, while traveling via elevator, another guest got on and said, “Oh wow, they have the day of the week on the rug!” I had not noticed this, but suddenly connected that crew member and cart to its purpose, at least.
We each shared that we had been having trouble remembering what day of the week it was and just went with it. There was so much to do each day that the actual name of the day did not matter. However, a gentle reminder was welcomed by all of us!
Not needing to know the day of the week was a very restful interlude for us travelers. On land, it was important to know where on the calendar one might be, but out to sea on vacation, not so much. As you may sense, though, this event stayed with me.
I did indeed embrace this break from the usual, accepting the passing of “time unnoticed” as a gift. I now hold this as a newer understanding of Sabbath. Sabbath just might be a time and place where relationships are renewed without the reminders of clocks and calendars.
Here is something to hold onto: We do not need a ship, a faraway destination, or such to find time just to enjoy the fact that today is a “Monday!” It is about being open to not staying busy for a bit, seeing things in a slightly different way, and knowing that this moment is a season unto itself–and that it will pass into the next season, whatever that might be–but we can be blessed in that moment.
Until the next time,
Kerry