There is a kind of revealing irony in the most common question people ask when they hear you are going on Sabbatical: What are you going to do? Because “doing” and otherwise being productive is antithetical to what it is for: rest and renewal.
Sabbatical is an extended Sabbath, when we rest – and let the world around us rest, too. This, remember, is the real twist in Sabbath law: that we are required to let others rest, too. It isn’t just for us.
Reflecting on this time away and how excited I am to be able to have fun and experience new things, I noticed I wasn’t getting the same sense from others. I know some are nervous about the time and others are waiting for more info, but I suspect many are just overwhelmed by all the things. If this is you, know that rest may be the most important part of this. At the heart of living is living, actually. It isn’t about productivity or doing things. It is about relaxing, being real with others here, and finding joy in it. That is the most important “do” in life.
Drew+