We had a tutors' meeting in College at lunchtime, and then a tutor group meeting at tea time. In between time I went home - that's the benefit of living nearby, and feel the need of being in my home study. After this, I returned home again for the first course of supper, before my Chi Gong class, saving the pancakes of the day for later.
Over the next six weeks I'm looking forward to reading the book of daily Lenten poetry readings and comment - 'The Heart's Time' - by Janet Morley, received as a gift from the Bishops a few weeks ago. What else will I do, apart from give up drinking alcohol and eat less? This last six months my habitual intake of wine and food has reduced somewhat, in order to lose weight and normalise my blood pressure. And it's worked - the weight loss has not been as slow and steady as the settling in my blood pressure readings, but I get the positive feeling of being more comfortable in my skin, less sluggish and more clear headed, with modest effort. The combination of Chi Gong and Tai Chi classes twice weekly with contentment in work and leisure seems to be bearing fruit. I guess if there's anything I should be doing, it's giving thanks more consciously, more often, for everything about my new life.
People say I haven't stopped working. That's right. Nor have I stopped taking leisure. I retired only from being a licensed public office holder. The vocation to work at being a missionary priest stays with me for life. It's part of my exercise of freedom, rather than a choice of duty in professional life. This sense of freedom is delicious. It means that when I have nothing to do, I enjoy it and don't feel useless. I found it hard to feel like that when duty dominated my calling. Now 'down time' is extra time to relax and just be with God, who asks nothing and returns affectionate glances gladly.
No comments:
Post a Comment