Sabbath 16

Cristopher has summarized this chapter, the final one in the "Rhythm" section. It consists mainly of examples of putting into action the principle Muller has explored in the section: to value that which only grows in time, as much as or more than one values that which only grows with money. Tripp's post on the chapter appears here.

Between my first reading of the chapter and my second a couple of days later, I thought a bit about changing my own life vs. changing society. For most of the book, I've been considering its principles and recommendations just in the context of my own private life. This chapter suggested the extension of "Sabbath values" into our interconnected, societal lives.

As you saw in Cristopher's post, if you followed the link above, the idea of stewardship for one another's well-being permeates this chapter. Not that we should impose Sabbath on one another, but that creation of the elements of Sabbath -- rest, ease, companionship, abundance -- can and perhaps should happen outside our own four walls, as well as inside.

I had never thought of myself as a politically or societally powerless person (Bush "elections" notwithstanding), so it was interesting to me that during some of my consideration of this chapter I kept hearing in my head the refrain "I can't change society... I can't change society... I can't change society..." But the work of Bread for the Journey, and especially the example of the now-Nobel-winning work of establishing the world's first microcredit bank, shows how much good can be done with resources that are not enormous. Time to get rid of that mental refrain.

The exercise this week is challenging. There's never been a group I couldn't feel outside of. But, lame though that is, I do have some minimal experience establishing conscious community. For example, when I lived in Minneapolis, I had a mutual airport transportation pact with another single friend who lived alone -- any time I needed a ride to or from the airport I could ask him and he'd say "Yes" if he was free, and vice versa. This small, articulated contract relieved us both of a lot of stress, since we knew we would not be bugging the other person and potentially endangering our friendship by asking too often.

Living so far away from all the people who are most important to me, it is that much more incumbent upon me to keep up my end of all of those long-distance relationships. It may be more work than usual, not just to do the calling/emailing/etc., but to remember to do it, and not to let anybody go too long without contact. But that's just what Muller is talking about in this chapter -- our relationships only really grow with the application of time and attention. There is no substitute for that.