Michelle Martin

What, me care?

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

There’s something to be said for not caring.

Not in the sense of apathy. More in the sense of not having a care in the world.

This year, for a Mother’s Day gift, my eldest child planned a day trip for us to Milwaukee to see a baseball game. Neither one of us is a particular fan of the Brewers, or of the San Francisco Giants, their opponent that day.

We took the train, so I didn’t have to drive, and we got to Milwaukee in plenty of time for brunch and a walk to the lakefront before hopping on a bus to make our way to the park.

I was glad to see the Brewers win and make the fans around us, mostly families with young children, happy. What was even better was that the game got close, with the tying run at the plate when the game ended — despite an early seven-run lead.

A bus back toward the train station, and a quick trip to the market to buy chocolate and souvenirs, and we were on the train home, 17,000 steps and 11 hours later. My feet were tired but my mind was relaxed.

As we move into summer and ordinary time, we’ll hear about Jesus’ public ministry. This is the season when we hear his sermons, and we read the parables and the accounts of miracles.

But we also hear about Jesus going away from the crowds to rest, or at least trying to. Maybe it was as difficult for him as it is for us. We learn from the creation stories in Genesis that even God found it necessary to rest; sometimes, it seems, we think we can work harder and longer than God.

Or maybe we’re afraid that if we don’t spend every day working, that other people will see that we’re not as important as we like to think we are, that we’re not indispensable and the world won’t fall apart if we take a day off.

It’s almost as though our value is based on what we do, not the dignity that comes from being who we are, human beings made in the image and likeness of God and God’s beloved children. It’s worth taking some time out of our routine to remember that.

Sometimes recreation need not be a chore, or a long trip or a big production. Sometimes it’s just a day trip, or an afternoon at the movies, or time outdoors appreciating the beauty of creation or looking at the art and architecture created by human ingenuity — ingenuity that is itself a gift from God.

This summer, as schools let out and schedules slow, remember to take time to recreate. Even if it means going to a ballgame when you don’t care about the outcome.

Topics:

  • family life

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