Letting It Go (and Getting There too)

Last updated on: November 21, 2018 at 1:54 pm by Cara Meredith

Letting It Go (and Getting There too) 2018-11-21T13:54:12-07:00 Cara Meredith

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Sometimes, compassion arrives when a railroad bolt gets stuck in the back tire of your car.

I suppose this might seem like the biggest inconvenience of all, after all, who would want to leave the house by 6:25 in the morning to drive half an hour to the nearest Costco in order to be the first in line? (For the record, I was also not the only human with this brilliant idea, for my arrival at 6:56 am warranted the coveted fourth spot in line).

But if walking three blocks to the nearest coffee shop to wait for said railroad-bolted tire to be replaced means two hours of alone time the day before Thanksgiving, then yes, yes, yes, count me in.

Perhaps not so ironically, when I left the house this morning, I tucked three things into my bag: my laptop, Ruth Barton’s Invitation to Retreat and a special issue of O, the Oprah Magazine’s Let It Go. As bleary-eyed as I was feeling, I couldn’t help but notice a common theme of rest and retreat between the two readings – an invitation to show compassion spiritually, emotionally and physically so I might be able to show compassion on others.

One of my favorite writers, Simone Weil, says it this way: “Compassion directed toward oneself is true humility.”

That’s a hard lesson for me to learn, let alone implement. As a person of faith, I can oftentimes feel that the last person I should be showing compassion on or toward is myself. As a parent, I can oftentimes let the feelings and needs of my children dominate every area in my life, including my own need to rest and refuel. I can do this in nearly every area of my life, including as a woman, as someone who works from home, as a friend, as a fill-in-the-blank whatever else.

And that’s also why the reminder to enter into a simpler and more serene life is exactly what I need to hear not only in seasons of stress but in every season. So, I ask, is it the same for you?

As we continue to step into a season that can be more stress-filled than rest-filled, here are five things I gleaned from the special magazine issue:

*Sometimes, we have to sleep as if our lives depend on it. When I’m burning the wick at both ends, I’m always a little amazed by how much sleep my body needs. According to Chill Principle 3, though, “Sleep makes you smarter, better-looking, more creative. It can add years to your life. It improves the long-term quality of that life” (17). I don’t know about you, but this makes me crave sleep even more.

*Mood foods really are a thing. Get this: eating Brazil nuts really can help your anxiety. Snacking on bell peppers (and other vitamin-C fruits) can help decrease your stress. And, “If your mind is running like a motor when it’s time for bed, tart cherry juice might help” (19). I am absolutely adding cherry juice to my shopping list!

*Employ the 20-20-20 rule if you work with screens. As someone who spends a whole lot of time staring at the words on a screen, I loved learning that “to help maintain a healthy level of moisture and reduce eyestrain, get in the habit of looking at something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes” (28). That I can do.

Let It Go is chock-full of real ideas of how we can further destress and declutter our lives so we might be able to recharge, find our center and finally relax – and to me, this is exactly what all of us need as we continue to learn what it means to color outside the lines.

I mean, don’t you think?

—

*Post contains Amazon Affiliate links

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 18, 2018

Speaking Praise and Thankfulness Out Loud

Next Post

November 27, 2018 Where Art Thou? (A Guest Post by Jane Dawson)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book reviews Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2026 June 2026 December 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 September 2023 June 2023 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 November 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz