my rhythm
07.31.2011 
rhythm: noun; a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound : Ruth listened to the rhythm of his breathing.
Every year growing up, we traveled to Destin, Florida, early in the summer to the finest, whitest sand known to man. Now, as an adult, I feel incomplete if I don’t get to the ocean at least once a year. And such is my rhythm.
And so this year after the City Swim Meet on July 23, our sweaty and smelly family of five loaded up our van and turned south. This kind of traveling requires commitment and stamina. Thank goodness Matt has the stamina. You put him behind the wheel, and kind of like a bull, he will get there or bust. We got there at 2:00 a.m. For an hour, we came alive and took in our little condo on the 22nd floor. Then we collapsed in the beds for a few more hours of sleep. Most of us had slept in the car too.
For a week, we enjoyed the beach, the fresh seafood, the view, the ocean and body surfing, the quiet. We unplugged. We rested. Another rhythm. Since returning last night, I have concentrated on finding a new rhythm: re-assembling our home after the madness of re-entry, re-stocking the fridge, re-establishing a daily routine of meals. Re-orienting myself to normal daily life helps me find my rhythm again.
In Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton suggests some practices for helping us keep our lives on a path of spiritual transformation. She addresses topics like solitude, reading scripture through lectio divina, prayer, self-examination, discernment, sabbath and establishing a rule of life. The rule of life helps us answer two questions: Who do I want to be? How do I want to live?
At the beach, I spent some time contemplating what I want my rhythm to feel like. Silence must be part of my days. I’d like to intentionally make Sabbath more about rest and play. My Bible will become more of a love letter and less of an instruction manual. Undoubtedly, a yearly trip to the beach is something my soul and spirit must have.
Space, ebb & flow
Reader Comments (4)
sounds like a GREAT book! Love reading your post...it's a part of my Rhythm. Great wisdom!!!
Thanks, Susan. Loved our visit last night. And thanks for the fresh veggies!! Love you!!
The image of Matt's stamina and driving "like a bull" reminded me of the time he drove Nancy to the hospital in the middle of the night. There the stamina was probably adrenalin, but the image of a bull charging does bring back memories. :) Thanks for being so real and so deep in your musings!
What I remember about that night was the marital discord over whether I should go with y'all to the hospital. Loudly and publicly, we disagreed. He won. He was right. I just read to him your comment and admitted in a rare moment of humility that HE WAS RIGHT! Thanks for your encouragement!