He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters – Psalm 23:2
A memorable scene in the movie Collateral occurs during a conversation between Max, a cab driver, and Annie, his latest passenger, when she is assessed to be in desperate need of a vacation. Though rebuffed, Annie quickly asked Max about his last time taking one, to which he responded, “I go on a vacation all the time.” When asked how often, he answered: “A dozen times a day. My favorite spot. Maldives Islands. It’s my own private getaway. Things get heavy for me, I take five minutes out and I just go there, and I just concentrate on absolutely nothing.” Max’s explanation of his mental breaks included a photo of an island that is attached to his car’s overhead mirror.
Whatever gives your mind time to pause to refresh is my interpretation of a mental break. This includes stepping away from a particular task for a couple of minutes or simply remaining where you are while intentionally shifting your thoughts elsewhere. It could be memorable times with people and places visited, or hopeful expectations of future events, or meditating on encouraging Scriptures. For example, visualizing being guided by God, your Shepherd, “to lie down in green pastures,” drained of all cares, relaxed and assured.
While time allowed to recoup during the day may be restricted, we nevertheless have access to meaningful mental breaks. We need only allow our minds to embrace the calmness of “still waters,” and we’ll soon find ourselves refreshed.