Day of Rest - As well it should be...

At school, the students have been reviewing the 10 Commandments as they prepare to make the sacrament of Reconciliation during the Lenten season - they have examined their conscience in light of these 10 Commandments, and it has really made the wheels start turning in their heads.

This was so much so with one student who, when I suggested she spend a small amount of time studying on Sunday to prepare for Thursday's Social Studies test, exclaimed that Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest.

And so, today (Sunday), I decided to take that Commandment to heart. Yes, I worked out at the gym (but for me, strangely enough, running is a form of relaxing and "resting"), but I have spent most of the rest of today trying to rest as best I can.

This is most evident in how I spent my time between about noon and three this afternoon: The weather was simply gorgeous - even the sun (which I haven't seen for days due to fog and rain) was out for a little bit. The temperature was definitely "all you need is a light jacket" weather, and for that I was very grateful. (It actually felt like spring, not summer!) I stopped at the coffee shop at the end of my street to give myself a little caffeine boost and to help warm me up from the inside out. 

As I was heading down the street, I received a text from a friend who has been visiting Chicago this weekend and was looking to meet up. We kind of "met in the middle" of our then-respective locations, and decided to hop on over to the Lakefront Trail, seeing as it was not far from where we were. It was a touch chilly and very peaceful - but the fog made it impossible to even make out the skyline of downtown or see the silhouettes of the many sailboats on Lake Michigan. Still, it was restful. And the mist gave off this feeling of freshness. Mmm. 

We walked and chatted, stopping on our way back to grab a refreshing drink. And then we parted, and I made my way back home.

Three hours out and about - can't quite beat that for a Sunday. I honestly feel so refreshed. (I still have my Strength-finders group and Mass tonight, so that will, no doubt, only add to my peace.)

Days like this are how Sundays should be. Yes, when the work has been finished, we are called to a day of rest - and that feels oh, so good.