Overworked, undernourished.Thank you for the May cover story, "Time crunched: How busy schedules are sapping our spirit" by Thomas Billitteri. I was surprised, and also appreciative, to see that he talked about the partnership between the Seattle-based "Take Back Your Time" (TBYT TBYT Think Before You Type ) movement and the Massachusetts Council of Churches' "Take Four Windows of Time" initiative, which TBYT endorsed. As the author pointed out so well, many Americans are caught in an epidemic of overwork overwork the condition produced by working a draft animal or working dog, an eventing or endurance horse too hard. See also exhaustion. , overscheduling, and time deprivation. We hope your readers will respond to this appeal and join the growing number of people who are renewing their commitment to tend to their spiritual well-being spiritual well-being, n a sense of peace and contentment stemming from an individual's relationship with the spiritual aspects of life. and that of their families in whatever ways are appropriate to their religious tradition. As Billitteri noted, I received an astonishing a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. number of unsolicited calls of gratitude from clergy and laity LAITY. Those persons who do not make a part of the clergy. In the United States the division of the people into clergy and laity is not authorized by law, but is, merely conventional. about our Labor Day-through-October 24 appeal to "Take Four Windows of Time." We will be building on this initiative again in the fall of 2005. Materials will be posted on our website (www.masscouncilofchurches.org) this summer. Your readers are encouraged to use them in whatever ways are helpful. Jesus sometimes hopped in a boat and went away to a quiet place to be alone with God. We can too. Fundamentally this is a matter of good personal stewardship. Rev. Diane C. Kessler Executive Director Massachusetts Council of Churches Busy schedules are indeed sapping our spirit, as Billitteri discussed in his excellent article. Finding time for rest can seem impossible. Maybe we can only find a moment here and there. This can be a good start toward more peaceful living, as these words of Edith Stein Edith Stein (October 12, 1891 – August 9, 1942) was a German philosopher, a Carmelite nun, martyr, and saint of the Catholic Church, who died at Auschwitz. In 1922, she converted to Christianity, was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church and was received into the Discalced instruct: "God is there in these moments of rest and can give us in a single instant exactly what we need. Then the rest of the day can take its course, under some effort and strain perhaps but in peace." Jim Lein Minot, N.D. Surely Billitteri's article should resonate res·o·nate v. res·o·nat·ed, res·o·nat·ing, res·o·nates v.intr. 1. To exhibit or produce resonance or resonant effects. 2. with Americans of all faiths who are steadily losing their sabbaths and other time for spiritual life, family, friends, and health. I would quarrel with only one small note in an otherwise terrific piece. Billitteri mentions that because of high unemployment, French and German workers might trade places with their American counterparts. I find that most Europeans are proud of their shorter working hours. Moreover, their high unemployment rates are not the result of shorter work-time; citizens of many other European countries, including the Netherlands and Sweden, also work far less than Americans do, yet their unemployment rates are equal to or lower than ours. We are sacrificing the things that really matter in life on the altar of overwork and overconsumption. Your article can help begin a national dialogue about this crucial issue for Americans. John de Graff De Graff may refer to:
Seattle, Wash. |
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