Easter Friday: Keeping Sabbath

Sabbath means to cease to work.  Do you know how hard that is?  Friday is typically my Sabbath, although every now and then something gets in the way.   I truly try to keep Sabbath as a spiritual discipline, and today, Easter Friday, was marked on my calendar in green as Sabbath.

Of course, getting my mind to stop working is a whole other issue.  Although the last three days I've started early and worked late, my head is full today of things left undone.

I decided to start the day with a walk.  I planned a short walk around the neighborhood, only a few blocks or so, but as I was nearing Laneview, I noticed that the gate to the green space at the end of Balcrest was left open.

Here's the conundrum:  although there is a sign that clearly says "no trespassing" there are other signs pointing out walking trails.  Which is it?  The road at the end of Balcrest leads to the water storage unit for the neighborhood, and after my dad died a few years ago, the only walking I could do was down this tree-lined road listening to Irish blessings and prayers on my iPod.

I decided to trespass and walk a little farther, and  I was immediately washed with the wonderful smell of spring flowers.  I decided to walk a little more, and when I rounded the curb, there was a sign indicating the beginning of a walking trails through the green space.

So I was off on an adventure.  I didn't know where I'd end up; I had the sun to let me know which way was north, and I knew that eventually on the other side of the trees was Cypress Creek, so how lost could I get?

Not at all.  My little walk up and down the streets of my neighborhood took me on a nearly hour hike through woods and trees and along a beautiful waterway.  The smell of flowers, birds flitting across my path, lush green.  A very good way to cease to work.

When I was on my Sabbatical two years ago, one of my plans was to walk the paths on this green space along Cypress Creek.  I never got around to it.  But on this Sabbath, I found a
path and I walked it.

Alleluia!  Christ is risen!