Busyness often masquerades as a badge of honor, while rest feels like a relic from an old era. We cram our days with purpose and productivity, leaving little room for pause. If we’re lucky, we manage to carve out a sliver of pleasure. Yet true rest, real, restorative rest, remains elusive. It’s not simply a pause between obligations but a way of seeing the world, a philosophy that transforms the ordinary into the marvelous.
As I ponder the importance of rest, my thoughts wander to travel, not the grand, Instagram-worthy escapades to exotic destinations, but the quieter, less celebrated journeys. There’s a profound stillness to be found in the chance encounters and unplanned detours that arise when we let go of control. Rest, I’ve come to believe, is an art form. And like any art, it requires practice and perspective.
Consider the humble errand. A trip to Walmart might seem the antithesis of adventure, but with the right mindset, it can become an odyssey. The long aisles transform into paths of discovery; the shelves, stacked with goods, hint at unseen stories, hands that picked the fruit, trucks that carried it across miles. Poetry hides in these overlooked corners of life, waiting to be noticed.
Rest isn’t about doing nothing; it’s about doing differently. Philosophers throughout history have extolled the virtues of stepping back. The Stoics, for instance, saw rest not as an escape but as a recalibration, a chance to align with the rhythms of nature. In our modern lives, this might mean finding beauty in the everyday, embracing the quiet moments we often rush past.
This concept isn’t new; it’s deeply rooted in biblical tradition. In the creation story, God rested on the seventh day, establishing the Sabbath as a sacred pause (Genesis 2:2-3). Centuries later, Jesus would echo this need for rest, inviting the weary to find renewal in Him (Matthew 11:28-30). Rest, as both a divine principle and a human necessity, renews the soul and opens space for reflection.
One of my most meaningful encounters with rest came not in a grand setting but in a laundromat in Grove Hill. It was an unremarkable place, the kind you’d pass without a second glance. Yet, as the machines hummed their steady rhythm, I found myself captivated by the lives unfolding around me. A mother folded clothes with tender care, a man shared a laugh with his coworkers, and a muted TV played Family Feud, its playful banter adding a touch of humor to the scene.
What could have been a mundane task became a moment of revelation. I left that laundromat not just with clean clothes but with a renewed sense of wonder at the intricacies of ordinary life.
Travel often teaches us about rest in unexpected ways. Delays, wrong turns, and missed connections, what we typically view as inconveniences, often reveal hidden joys. A delayed flight becomes an opportunity to observe the humanity of an airport terminal. An unplanned detour unveils a scenic gem. Even a missed connection can lead to an encounter you didn’t know you needed.
The same lesson applies to life. So much of our energy is spent striving to arrive, at success, happiness, or an idealized version of ourselves. In our fixation on the destination, we often neglect the journey. Rest is a reminder to inhabit the present, to engage with life as it is rather than as we wish it to be.
Perspective, I’ve learned, is the brushstroke that turns rest into art. A ride to the grocery store, a walk to the post office, or even a trip to the laundromat can become an adventure if we let it. These small, everyday journeys hold untapped potential for discovery, reflection, and joy.
One such moment came to me outside a museum in Mexico City. I sat on a bench, watching the world move around me. Street vendors called out their wares, music floated through the air, and the city’s pulse beat steadily on. It was a simple scene, yet it felt profound. For a moment, I wasn’t rushing to check off a list or reach a goal. I was simply there, part of the rhythm, appreciating the privilege of being able to observe and reflect.
In a culture that glorifies constant motion, choosing to rest is a revolutionary act. Rest isn’t about retreating from life but fully immersing yourself in it. It allows you to pause, to see clearly, and to reconnect, with yourself, with others, and with the world around you.
As the year comes to a close, I find myself considering how we measure time. Not by the hours we spend or the accomplishments we tally, but by the moments of meaning we create. When the weight of the world feels heavy, I encourage you to pause. Take a breath. Look around.
Life isn’t a race to the finish line; it’s a series of steps, each one an opportunity to rest, to reflect, to rediscover. Whether you’re crossing continents or simply running errands, remember: Rest isn’t waiting at the end of the journey. It’s woven into every mile, every errand, every pause along the way.
So take a walk, marvel at the way the world moves when you stand still, and allow yourself the time to simply be. Rest, in its quiet simplicity, is where the real adventure begins.
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This article was originally published by The South Alabamian – Deep South Media Group. © 2024 Deep South Media Group. All rights reserved.
Eduardo Magaña 
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