Storahtelling

PREPENT5771 DAY 5 8/14 SABOTAGE YOUR LIFE
by Amichai Lau-Lavie
Saturday August 14, 2010


E This was the first of the last four Sabbaths leading up to the New Year. What I do and don’t each Sabbath determines how and who I am all week long. Perhaps even all year long. Sabbath is like a test for well being, for taking care of self. Do I take time out for being alone? For being with loved ones? Is this period carved out for sacred, special, sensual, soulful something, anything at all?? Or are we still on the wheel, 24/7, consumers of the workaholic nonstop digital divide? Sabbath is an act of sabotage, essential. I think, for survival of the species. I want to make each of these last four Sabbaths of the year a focused-reminder to slow down, to be more and not do more: unplug and unwind. My Sabbaths are not orthodox. Unlike my childhood way of keeping Sabbaths – many laws and prohibitions, mine is more relaxed. I turn on lights, travel, heat or cook food. But my Sabbath, mostly, is tech free. The mac is off as evening falls on Friday, turned on again 24 hours later, or, in this case, to write this blog, 22 hours later, as dusk settles down. Thank you for appreciating my concession to the West Coast. Even on my Iphone, the urge to call or chat, check emails, tweets and such is curbed, not without difficulty. Work related stuff avoided. The world can wait. My friend was telling me how in her Seventh Day Adventist home the music would change on Sabbath – only classical music would be played on Saturdays. And there was the Sabbath Candy Jar - only allowed during that one day… I get flowers. My favorite thing to do for Sabbath is buying flowers on Friday. No matter where I am and whether they end up on my host’s dinner table for that night, or my kitchen table or hotel bedside stand. The Sabbath Queen loves her fresh weekly bouquet. This past Shabbat, back in NYC, a cloud of fragrant orange flowers filled my living room. There was Dinner with friends, good wine and conversation. The day was spent praying and playing with my kids and family and more friends. Simple stuff. As I prepent and take stock of the year that was and the one coming next I want to focus more on sacred time, on Sabbath specials. Make a commitment to the weekly dinners, to planning ahead, to slowing down. I even like the Classical music idea. Not sure about the candy jar.. I am curious – do you, friends-readers, have special Sabbath customs that help you make this weekly island a practical paradise? Please share. (once sun's set..)