“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” ~ Ovid

It is so easy in today’s complex world to get caught up in a constant stream of activity. Goals beget goals, bigger and more are assumed to be better, and rest, relaxation and serenity are somehow lost in the mix. As Margaret Fuller once remarked, “Men for the sake of getting a living forget to live.”

While you certainly can and should be at rest deep within, even in the most intense times, there is tremendous value in taking the time to rest, to do nothing, to simply sit and enjoy the world around you. To some such a thought might equate with boredom, but those thus cursed will live lives filled to the brim with unrelieved tension.

Developing an understanding of the oscillation between action and rest is fundamental to staying productive and happy over the long run. Many have tried to power through life without pause, yet such an approach often ends early. No doubt you’ve had phases in your life characterized by great bursts of action and others notable more for the lack of action, and as with the seasons, it is the variation that makes life interesting.

How you handle the times of intense productivity is as important as how you handle the periods of quiet rest. You can miss a beat in either. Fail to relax and exhale during the restful phases of creative activity and you will slowly deplete your energy reserves. Miss pulling the trigger when the time comes for a major push and the wrinkles in the carpet will surely trip you up in the days to come.

My point this morning is this: in times of rest, rest; in times of activity, act. Don’t wish you were somewhere else, be where you are! Far too many people waste precious energy bemoaning their circumstances, crying for a break in the action (typically at the worst time) or conversely, wishing their life had more action, drama or excitement during the dormant phase of creative accomplishment.

Think of your life in much the same way a farmer views his land and you will find a rhythmic procession that is utterly enjoyable and magical. After a quiet winter of inactivity, take time to prepare your field of circumstances with a careful and caring hand, plant the seeds when the time is right and care for what was planted until harvest-time. Rest and action can be found in each “season” and as I mentioned above, recognizing and making good use of both is vital to successful living.

Life is a marathon and not a sprint. You cannot win a marathon if you do not take time to rest.

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” ~ John Lubbock