Adventure & Rest

I can assume things. My assumptions come from information I have received through experiences, conversations, education, relationships, and media. Although this list has only five-categories, these categories are consumed with even more subcategories. Before I know it, I am inundated with information based on opinion and less on fact. Oftentimes this makes me feel like the world is a jigsaw puzzle and I am trying to put all the pieces together. I don’t know about you, but this last season has felt more like this than ever. There are different understandings and definitions for just about everything.

For this reason, I would like to define two words that are part of who we are at A.R.C…. Adventure and Rest. Growing up I thought of adventure as going out and doing something extraordinary. An adventurous person loved extreme sports and unbelievable experiences; like jungle safaris, bungee jumping, skydiving or scuba diving. Rest was always defined as the opposite of adventure: sleep, boredom, silence. No kid wants those three descriptors tied to an action.

A.R.C. defines Adventure as: exploring something new, unknown, exciting. A.R.C. defines Rest as: to cease in order to relax and be refreshed. I love these two definitions because they bring understanding and invite us onto a journey. It gives all of us permission to enjoy our experiences and it does not limit us to rigidity. These definitions breathe life instead of death. They breathe hope instead of fear.

Adventure and rest have been hard words to define in my life. I have only thought of them as you are either adventurous or you’re not. You are either resting or you’re not. Because of my misunderstanding I believed I was always failing. I would never be an adventurous person because I don’t scuba dive nor will I because I am scared of deep water. I couldn’t be an adventurous person because I will not be jumping out of a plane anytime soon, nor will you probably see me on a jungle safari unless it is on a cruise with animatronics in Disney World where you also see the “8th Wonder of the World… THE BACKSIDE OF WATER!” But one day Mike looked at me and said: “Ali, you are the most adventurous person I know.” I quickly stopped him and said,” Mike out of the two of us I always thought of you that way.” He quickly shared, “Oh no Ali: you are the risk taker, you love navigating new ways, you see what things could be, you push us, you love to have fun…” His list continued and I just sat there amazed that ANYONE would ever think of me that way.

I am currently having a similar experience with rest but this time my Best Friends and Creator is defining it. Rest is more than just naps, although I love a good nap, I even have a shirt that says, “Jesus Took Naps, Be More Like Jesus.” Rest is stepping away from busyness to be refreshed. Some days for me this may mean taking a walk with our dogs by the lake. Sometimes it is spending time playing games with our family. Sometimes it is having coffee or a meal with someone(s) I love and lingering in that space together. Sometimes it means working out. Sometimes it is watching a movie or listening to a good podcast. Sometimes it means me sitting on my back deck with coffee in my hand listening to the song of the birds. Whether it is for a moment or for hours, all of these things are life-giving to me. They refresh me and they are not boring. Each refreshment helps me breathe differently, take in my surroundings and explore rest in a new way.

So, what new things are you doing? What makes you feel refreshed?

May we continue to be learners, and may our definitions grow in such a way that we experience life and life to the full.