Sunday morning in the park with Adam
Our church is hosting a series of inter-faith conversations as the Sunday morning sermon. Today was Judaism. Jesus was Jewish, of course. While he was describing the main things an observant Jew would do--#1 being observing Shabbat, I felt jealous. I wish I could do that. He then affirmed that it's much easier to do in Israel, when it's a communal thing. Still, I believe in Sabbath. I just don't do it. The same way I believe in not eating sugar and then sit here after three Hershey's kisses drinking a chai. I am writing because my soul wants to write and because it's Sunday, but I must do work. How can that be? How can I arrange my life so that I can have a sabbath? I worked all day yesterday, so working on Saturday instead is not an option. I need to keep grading and I need to figure out what/how I am teaching for the next several weeks.
Jews do not do anything commercial OR creative on Shabbat. I didn't know that last part. Writing would be out. I wonder if running would be out.
This morning was a wonderful one for me as a runner and mother. Adam has decided that he is going to try cross country in the fall. We went to see The Sound of Music last night--my students were in it--and didn't get home until almost 11pm. So I didn't get up and run before church as I meant to. Since Doug and Gretchen are at an Adventure Princess "campout," running after church meant either leaving Adam alone or bringing him with me. He decided to come with. It was the first time I went for a run with him since he outgrew the jogging stroller. For the first mile or so, he left me in the dust. Or, I should say, he left me in the puddles. He splashed through them with a joyful abandon that made me almost jealous. I will confess, though, that as Adam was delightedly standing ankle-deep in the puddle, the mom in me freaked out and asked, "So what shoes are you wearing to school tomorrow?"
Still, that was a big moment for both of us. Adam's first time just going out for a run. My first time just going out for a run with my kid. It was one of those moments worth having kids for.
Jews do not do anything commercial OR creative on Shabbat. I didn't know that last part. Writing would be out. I wonder if running would be out.
This morning was a wonderful one for me as a runner and mother. Adam has decided that he is going to try cross country in the fall. We went to see The Sound of Music last night--my students were in it--and didn't get home until almost 11pm. So I didn't get up and run before church as I meant to. Since Doug and Gretchen are at an Adventure Princess "campout," running after church meant either leaving Adam alone or bringing him with me. He decided to come with. It was the first time I went for a run with him since he outgrew the jogging stroller. For the first mile or so, he left me in the dust. Or, I should say, he left me in the puddles. He splashed through them with a joyful abandon that made me almost jealous. I will confess, though, that as Adam was delightedly standing ankle-deep in the puddle, the mom in me freaked out and asked, "So what shoes are you wearing to school tomorrow?"
Still, that was a big moment for both of us. Adam's first time just going out for a run. My first time just going out for a run with my kid. It was one of those moments worth having kids for.