The Fermata Weekly: When Overworking Isn't the Issue
A widening of perspective on the relationship of work and rest
The Fermata Weekly is the weekly recap & preview of my artistic activity, with special attention given to Notes of Rest, my contemplative-musical retreat, and The JuJu Exchange, my jazz-electronic fusion band.
Hi everyone,
This past Sunday I hosted Notes of Rest at Chicago Temple, First United Methodist of Chicago, called Chicago Temple. Given this was the first Sunday after Labor Day, I asked them how God was strengthening their relationship between work and rest in this season. During the group reflection time – called Banks – somebody’s answer humbled me.
They said that during the pandemic they were underemployed and wished they had had more work. The comment stopped me in my tracks. That was the first time I had heard that at a session and it made me contend with the privilege around talking about rest. To date, I’ve focused on the fact we often are overworked and over-stimulated and need to figure out healthy ways of pulling back and finding rest. But I haven’t thought about what rest means for those who don’t have the work they want.
Moreover, I came to see the bias I have as an entrepreneur. Because much of my employment comes from working for myself, it is easy enough for me to find more work. But this woman’s comment was an important critique for me. Not everybody has been called to work for themselves, and the pandemic was a time when there was deep pain around unemployment.
This comment presented an invitation to me to widen the focus of what Notes of Rest offers. I want this space to foster rest for all kinds of people, including those who are amidst the restlessness of unemployment or underemployment. Moreover, because rest leads to creativity, I hope that the questions asked and the music played provides space for you to think creatively about job prospects, be they working for somebody else or striking out on your own. (I’d be happy to talk to you about the entrepreneurship journey if you’d like, by the way!)
Rest opens up our vulnerabilities. When we rest, we acknowledge our limitations and those of others. That’s what my wonderful time at Chicago Temple taught me. May God make us more sensitive to the tenderness of each other amidst these volatile economic times.
abundantly,
Julian
Next Up
Sept 18 Playing at FUMC Oak Park
Sept 22-23 Vancouver School of Theology
Sept 23 CRU Arts Theology & Culture Lecture
A Listen
I am so thankful for how my new project JazzRx has been received from my band The JuJu Exchange. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, you can do so here.
Excellent insight, Julian.