Observing the Sabbath has made me move slightly slower in my daily life.
For example, I drive under the speed limit. 70mph = 75mph in reality, so if I drive between 65mph and 68mph, I happily cruise in the right lane while people pass me on the left. It’s rare I need to pass anyone else.
I also don’t shop sales. Too many crowds, whether it’s Black Friday or President’s Day. If I need to shop, I go the day after the big sale. Fewer crowds keep me sane. Sometimes, I even find better bargains.
Finally, I used to hit the pool right at 5:30 a.m., when my fitness club opened, to be sure to get a lane. The stress mitigated any benefit derived from an early morning swim. Now, I arrive about 30 minutes later, after the first crew finishes. Voila — a lane of one’s own.
These simple strategies would never have occurred to me if I had not started observing the Sabbath, almost eight years ago. Being deliberately slow one day a week gives me the freedom to slow things up a little on the other six. Ironically, it also give me the freedom to rev up, when necessary.
But only when necessary.
