This week’s eNewsletter Feature
was written by Julie Ruchniewicz,
First Pres Parish Nurse.
Dear Friends,
Image by Rory Corbett from Pixabay
Chasing Daylight is a golf metaphor that describes how golfers push themselves to get in as many holes as possible as the sun lowers in the sky, and shadows from the trees are cast on the course.[i]
For me chasing daylight is also a literal term. I love daylight. My annual chase starts with Daylight Saving Time as it starts in the spring. As we all know we set our clocks ahead one hour (unless you live in Arizona) to gain more light of day.
As a Midwesterner born and raised, I am a person who thrives in the spring and summer, when nature is in bloom, there is more sunshine and people are out and about. Things just feel better because I have more time to do whatever it is that makes me happy. I also love sunsets and watching them until the last sliver of the colorful sky is gone. I am literally chasing daylight until those final moments.
Another way of thinking about chasing daylight is a bit more abstract. If daylight is the goal—the prize at the end of the chase—then plug in any word for daylight that might be important to you. Maybe you are chasing a dream or goal: a comfortable retirement, decreased anxiety, thriving relationships, a trip to Europe, a healthier body, a fulfilling job, a stronger faith, or freedom from grief. The list is endless and is as individual as each of our imaginings. What are you chasing? Have you stopped chasing something for a season and now find yourself thinking about it again?
I remember being in my 30s and reading an inquiry sent to the “Dear Abby” newspaper column in which the author, Abigail Van Buren, published advice to readers in newspapers across the country. In this column, a woman had written in asking for guidance about going back to college. She told Dear Abby that if she went back and got her degree, she’d be 36 when she graduated. Abby’s simple response was: “How old will you be if you don’t go?”
I am still struck by that answer all these years later. It’s a simple reminder that no matter the age you are, the circumstances in your life, or the time it will take to accomplish a particular goal, time will pass by either way.
This Sunday, our sermon will look at Psalm 23. One of the most well-known and regularly referenced Bible passages, it is a favorite for many. “He refreshes my soul.” The human spirit is fragile and can get worn down by the trials of everyday life. We can lose our motivation. We become less willing to attempt anything complicated. This line in Psalm 23 ensures us that God has the power to breathe new life into anyone who’s energy and enthusiasm have withered. We read of the shepherd who makes sure his flock are happy and we, as his sheep, can be reassured that God wants to restore joy and a sense of contentment to our lives.
Extraordinary or ordinary, lifelong dream or a moment in time, whatever motivates you, I hope this encourages you or maybe just makes you smile. Chase your daylight!
Peace,
Julie Ruchniewicz
First Pres Parish Nurse
jruchniewicz@firstpresevanston.org
[i] It is also the title of a book, a biography by Eugene O’Kelly and common-sense guide on how to embrace death without fear or sadness. But that is not my focus, I just love the term.