My Life of Sundays  by Kathryn L. Robyn

The following is an excerpt from A Life of Sundays: Contemplations for Seeking the Sacred in Everyday Life. Still in search of a publisher, this little book, written by the author of Spiritual Housecleaning: Healing the Space Inside by Beautifying the Space Around You (New Harbinger Publications, 2001), is divided into three sections: "Time Is Money," "Never Give Up," and "Rest." Each of the seven words in these loaded phrases is also a Chapter Heading. On top of that, each chapter has an additional seven segments, all representing the seven days of the week — the seventh, of course, being set aside for sacred rest. But what if every day is sacred, and a restful awareness is part of each day? For this year’s opening topic, "Living Soulfully," I have chosen to contribute segments Three and Four in the chapter called "TIME." Here’s to living a soulful life.

Let’s talk about the importance of having a "real job." Most of us, men and women both, spend a huge portion of our lives working for someone else. This is what keeps the world going round, right? Well, no, the world goes around by itself. The planet thrives outside of time or inside of time, we’re not sure which, but it’s our world that needs to be pushed along by jobs. Work. What part of you wants to spend your life at work? Probably, the part that wants to be a regular person, to live a normal life, or to have an income that makes you comfortable. That part of you probably needs a job to get those things. And while that might be the biggest part of most people, it is so small a part of your soul that it’s a wonder we can get past Monday mornings.

You could skip Mondays and go straight to Tuesday, but then Tuesday would be your Monday and there you’d be, struggling to get past it. The same is true of Wednesdays and so on. This is silly, I know, but it is a shame that being a regular person, living a normal life, and having a comfortable income takes up the greater part of most people nowadays. In this land of individualism, consider being irregular for just a moment. Would you mind so much having an irregular life? Perhaps it could be extraordinary. It’s a free country. What keeps you from the freedom to choose the way you spend your time on this planet? The kids, the parents, the spouse, the pets, the bills, the upbringing, and on and on. What else could you be doing? What other part of yourself could you be Being? Just for today, choose against the ordinary. Don’t just do something, sit there. Be there.

If the only extra time you have is a coffee break or standing in line at the bank, take it to a different level than you normally do. If you usually spend this time chatting on the phone, spend this one quietly, read maybe. If you usually read, today listen to a new CD. If you frequently kvetch and complain, give compliments; if you typically listen to the news, people-watch instead. Listen to the sounds around you — both the natural and the mechanized — and take it in. This is what your ordinary surroundings are. Have you even noticed? Sometimes you have to step out of the norm, to understand its effect on you. Take that time. Just today.

If you could make more time for something in your life, what would it be? Family? Art? Reading? Yourself? Travel? Creativity? Work? Do you need more time to "get things done?" I don’t know how working people with children do it — get things done, sleep, keep from going crazy. If you feel like you’re barely doing it — keeping from going crazy, that is — then you’re at a crossroads.

You will either find a way to make more time to get your needs met, or you’ll need to start saving money to handle all the healthcare problems you’re going to have. Not to mention the family problems. I don’t need to cite the many studies that show the biggest problem facing people today is not having enough time. Divorce, juvenile delinquency, stress-related diseases, and ignorance that begets bigotry, poor job performance, misunderstandings, all can be traced to not having enough time. Time is what you need to do what you need to do, to be with the people who need you, to take care of yourself, and to learn what you need to know.

A friend of mine once pointed out that in this day and age you are going to be short one thing or the other: time or money. It’s rare when you have both. That was fifteen years ago. These days, it’s rare when you have either. It’s definitely great to have money. You can buy a lot with it, justice even. But you can’t buy love or happiness with money. You need time to make love and to make love work. You need time to cultivate happiness. Make sure you make time to live, and not just use time to make a living. Remember, if only for today, to buy some time for love.

Who and/or what do you love? Pay for a babysitter and spend some time alone with your spouse without the kids, maybe just to sleep like in the commercial. Pay someone to clean your house or do your laundry, and use that freed-up time to be with someone special. You’ve got four hours minimum, take yourself out to someplace different. An art museum, a Japanese tea room, a health spa. It’s only for today. You can’t afford not to.

Copyright © 2002 Kathryn L. Robyn.  All Rights Reserved.

Kathryn L. Robyn is an author, healing coach, and Reiki Master in private practice in Los Angeles, California. Ms. Robyn has led transformational workshops and support groups for over fifteen years, working with organizations such as Child Help USA, The Alcoholism Center for Women, The Healing Light Center and Alive and Well.

Working in tandem with physicians, therapists and alternative medicine practitioners, Ms. Robyn has guided hundreds of people through the healing process, helping men and women recover from childhood and adult traumas and substance abuse, leaving them stronger and more connected with themselves.

She is the author of Spiritual Housecleaning: Healing the Space Within by Beautifying the Space Around You (New Harbinger Publications, 2001). For more information visit her official website at www.emotionalhouse.com.

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