The other day, I felt tired.

My body felt heavy. My brain seemed to have switched to neutral. I couldn’t be bothered to think or make any more decisions.

I needed a rest.

So, I painted a fence.

Clearing My Head

The long fence in my vegetable garden is what I call my “slow project,” as if it’s some kind of special venture that must not be completed quickly. And, in a sense, that’s true. There’s no deadline, so it’s taking a long time to do. There’s no stress because the fence is at the side of the property, out of sight of the rest of the house. That means there’s no urgency to get it done because it’s an eyesore, which is just as well because I started it months ago. I only paint it if I feel like it—and that day, I felt like it.

I left behind everything I should be doing and headed into the garden.

There was something soothing about dipping a thick, wide brush into the paint and making sweeping strokes over the fence boards. I didn’t have to be careful about drips or make sure the paint was applied evenly. It was just a case of up and down, up and down, watching the paint cover the bare wood. It was a restful rhythm, standing there among the vegetable beds, the brush moving up and down, up and down.And as I painted, my head started to clear.

We all need rest and it’s as much about mental respite as it is physical. FAYE MICHELSON

Taking a Break

Rest can mean many things. Sometimes it’s sitting down or having a nap to recover from physical or emotional exertion. For me, rest in this case was time away from my responsibilities.

I could have given in to the pressure of feeling I had to get on with life. I could have tackled a task from the many things on my “to-do” list or tried to wrangle mentally with issues that needed resolving.

Instead, I dipped a big brush into a can of paint and focused on the rhythmical strokes. And as I did that, space seemed to open up for me to have a chat with God.

Life is complicated and, at times, it’s exhausting. We all need rest and it’s as much about mental respite as it is physical. We need rest for our weary souls, something Jesus understood when He invited people to follow Him.

“Come to Me, all of you who work and have heavy loads. I will give you rest. Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29 New Life Version).

So, take some time out, however that looks for you. And, like me, you might find it offers a chance to have a conversation with God.

Reprinted from Salvos (Australia), March 8, 2025

Photo: Robert Kneschke/stock.Adobe.com