Wednesday, February 04, 2004
be cool with your space
Back up in Auckland again, for the second week of teaching in the Church and Society, University of Auckland intensive. It’s been my 5th flight in a week and I am starting to tire.
It is listening to the music of Salmonella Dub that keeps me going. The first track of their album, One Drop East, has had the most profound impact on me. It celebrates travelling on
we all you knew you had to go
to spread your wings and let the wind take your flow
and relationships;
its good to see you again my friend (call out to Stephen and Rachel who I get to see today)
its been a long, long time
and has such a great chorus;
dont you fall from grace
be cool with your space
check your pace
it ain’t a race
This is hard to explain and deely personal and I might not make any sense, but I’ll have a go. Often I feel placed in a dualism regarding time – you can either be busy or not be busy. If you have some deadlines, somehow you are bad because you are not taking time to relax, to attend to family and spirituality. It happened yesterday. I was introduced as a busy person and the guest spent the next 5 minutes checking the state of my marriage. A very intimate introduction which I found way too intense. And the dualisms were at work; oh you’re busy, your marriage must be stressed.
Well the Dub song says to me that you can be not busy while busy. It is about one’s internal clock, how you manage the pace in the midst of letting the wind take your flow, how you treasure relationships in the midst of boarding calls. It’s not either or, but God in the midst of. Does that make any sense?
Perfect sense! And for those who prefer a less simplistic view of life, the truth is that your marriage can be stressed if you’re not busy enough, and energised by good busy-ness. Keep doing what you’re doing, steve. even Jesus got busy sometimes.
Comment by maggi — February 4, 2004 @ 9:20 am
Maggi as always has said it well. See you in March – it will have been a long, long time…be cool with your space 🙂
Comment by Paul — February 4, 2004 @ 10:26 am
hey
be cool with your space
see you tomorrow
(very) happily married
lynne 🙂
Comment by Lynne — February 4, 2004 @ 2:45 pm
I like Maggi’s comment about Jesus. Reminds me of the children’s book “Jesus’ Day Off” by Nicholas Allan which I found in our public library.
See: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0099262738/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/026-6573326-7538835
Comment by Stephen — February 4, 2004 @ 3:14 pm
Ahhhh. Sun sand surf and SALMONELLA DUB!!! You know, Steve,you dancehall boy, that first track is also my favourite on the disc. Have you seen them in concert? One of these days we`ll have to meet up.. it’s only a matter of time. EZ on, manage the pace, win the race! cheers
Dave
Comment by dave — February 4, 2004 @ 11:55 pm