Good for Nothing

What a joy it is to be good for nothing! I cook for friends, I read up a storm, I watch brilliant opera from the Met, I swim every day, I walk the dog and (sometimes) vacuum the house and water the plants. I’m good – for nothing! It is called retirement!

      Barbara Brown Taylor has a delightful little book, The Practice of Saying NO. As I read it, she reminded me how blessed I am to be able to be good for nothing. For my daily efforts, I am paid in bird song and deep joy. 

       She also reminded me of my privilege of living Sabbath – this is the seventh day, the day of rest in my long and too-busy life. Although I know that, I am continually devising projects that would tie me in knots for days and weeks of futile work.

       Her little book has me examining ways I can honor this Sabbath

more intentionally – how can I be aware of this joy and deepen it? I hope to keep a true Jewish Sabbath one day a week – in order to be more aware of the daily Sabbath-quality of this quiet life of mine.

       What will that mean?  Taylor quotes Meister Eckhardt, a man of prayer: God is not found in the soul by adding anything but by subtracting.  So, what might my Sabbath look like? 

Hang up the car keys.

Close the computer, turn off the tv and radio.

Listen to the music of the lovely world around me.

Sit still, keep quiet, listen!  Pray!

Play with the dog, walk him around the lake. 

Welcome friends for good long talks, and comfortable silence.

        Now, that’s good for nothing at its best. Strangely, we call it a spiritual discipline.  It will not be easy, but someone has to do it!  And I am glad it is me.