Most of us feel that we’re due a break from the weather, as much as from our daily routine, our pace of life, our regular backdrop, even our friends.

So, if you’re going away this summer, here are a few ideas to help you reflect on your journey of life and faith, as you (hopefully) gain a little much-needed space for respite and reflection.

• As you clear your desk and ask your colleagues to cover for you, reflect on how indispensable you are. Thank God for the fact that, in a sense, nobody does it better; but remember, too, that ultimately the world does not revolve around you. Lay down that burden, and try not to carry it any further.

• As you pack, consider these lines from U2’s song ‘Walk On’:

 

We’re packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been,
A place that has to be believed to be seen.

 

Reflect on the things you’re carrying in the suitcase of life. Is anything superfluous? What is essential for your journey?

• As you pack your passport and tickets, consider your destination, both literal and metaphorical. What will the people be like? Which language is spoken? What are the local traditions? How can we better embrace and engage with the differences God has bestowed on humanity, rather than protect ourselves from them?

• As you set off, consider the step you are taking into the relative unknown. How are you feeling? And what does any trip away from home teach us about life’s stages of arrival and departure?

• When you arrive, your senses will be heightened. New sights, sounds, smells… Remind yourself how a child sees the world for the first time, with a mix of wonder and curiosity. Ask God to help you to see your own situation vividly, from a fresh angle.

• As you slow down, consider the art of being rather than doing. Be still and know that God is God. And ask yourself: What do you hope to bring back with you, aside from the duty-free?

• As you say goodbye to the beach and hello again to your desk, how can the benefits of ‘time out’ last longer than usual? How can you build time for reflection into your daily routine, to preserve the presence of mind, the wellness and wholeness you have gained while away?

Go well!