Our staff has set a goal that may or may not be ambitious. Time will tell. We have agreed that we will accumulate 2020 miles of activity in 2020. That means we will, as a group, walk, run, hike, bike, swim, or paddle ½ mile per day each, on average, to achieve our goal. I actually think it’s quite reasonable. While I don’t get out as often as I want, when I do, it is usually for long enough that I could knock out a week’s worth in one run or ride. But then getting out more frequently is the point. This goal is a motivator for all of us. We’re not sure what we’ll do to celebrate, but already, after just a few days, we’ve reached 1% of our goal! Hey, it’s something.
Actually, we have our sights set on wellness as a whole this year. And, it’s something I plan to share with the whole congregation, as an invitation to those who would like to work on their overall wellness. It’s been awhile since I taught a Living Compass class, and I want to start one up again this spring. Our monthly themes are taken from the points on the Compass. For those of you who haven’t encountered Living Compass before, it is a program for whole-person wellness based on the greatest commandment to love God with our heart, soul, strength, and mind. Each of those four areas is divided further so that there are eight elements to the Compass. Living Compass is designed to help us take stock of our lives and our wellness and then encourage us to improve where we can. If that sounds interesting to you, let me know, and watch for announcements about a meeting in the coming weeks.
The monthly themes of wellness are included elsewhere in this News You Can Use, along with a brief write up on each. I’ll be reminding us all of those efforts from time to time, and we’ve discussed finding ways of hearing back from those who choose to tackle an area of wellness and then celebrate with that person. More on that to come, too.
As we start this year, the first monthly endeavor is Dry January, something you may already be familiar with. The idea is simple: give up alcohol for January. I began this fast on January 1 and have found it helpful. While I consume alcohol regularly, I have never had a sense that I have a problem with alcohol and have never had signs of dependence. Perhaps because I work hard to monitor my intake of alcohol, given my family history. On one side of my family, both of my grandparents were alcoholics. My grandmother eventually gave it up, but tragically, my grandfather literally drank himself to death. And I remember it well. None of their children succumbed to the alcoholism genes, and the grandkids have made out well, too.
I grew up in a home without alcohol in it. My parents weren’t judgmental about drinking, but my father grew up in a dry family, and my mother stayed away from it, given her family history. I have watched alcohol become problematic for friends and parishioners over the years, and I have seen how destructive it can be for those who struggle with addiction to it. Although we tend to think of alcoholism as a debilitating disease, the truth is that there are many places on the spectrum of alcoholism, some of which allow a drinker to appear to function without too many problems, despite the lack of ability to stop drinking. Hiding a drinking problem can be done for a long time if one is good at it, and that becomes part of the problem too.
For some folks, every month should be dry. Not necessarily because they drink until they pass out, but simply because alcohol is directing their behavior (and their health) in ways they may not even be aware of. Laying off for a period of time and being intentional about monitoring what it does to us, what we think about, what we crave, and whether we can even do it, can all be informative. I find that not drinking in January, which comes right after the holiday season when I tend to drink more because of social events, is a helpful reset. I’ve had a similar appreciation for a Lenten fast from alcohol, which is a typical seasonal fast for me, as well. It does help me remember that I can be social without a drink, or that I can relax after a long or trying day without a drink. And, it makes me feel better. As I have gotten older, a glass of wine late in the evening messes with my sleep, and while I am not an old man yet, I don’t like sleeping like one. And, for a guy who tries to avoid sugars, alcohol isn’t the most compatible beverage!
So, maybe Dry January is something you might want to try for yourself, just to see what happens. Maybe you’ll learn something about yourself that could save your life, or at least prolong it. Anyone who thinks they might have a drinking problem can get help. Or if you think someone you love has a problem, you can get help too. Call me, or one of our other clergy, or call someone you may know who is in recovery. We are blessed in this area with a wonderful recovery community and there are many who can and will help with complete confidentiality.
And if you don’t drink and wonder what you can do instead, take a break from something else that may be unhealthy in your life. My Dry January also includes a fast from diet sodas. I’ve let them creep back into my life and I don’t really like that. Maybe for you it’s cigarettes. Perhaps sweets? Whatever it may be, see if you can dry up for a few weeks, and pay attention as you do. If you find that it’s harder than you thought, or that cravings are driving you crazy, again, there are ways to get help with any addiction that is unhealthy. And I’m here to help if I can.
If this month isn’t for you, take a look at the calendar for the year. We’ll be circling around to it again each month. Maybe you want to set your own goals for 2020 – not just a resolution to do something, but a goal – what, when, how, etc. Changes are much easier to make when we have goals and a plan. I’m looking forward to a healthy 2020!
Tom+
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Photo credits: Walking; public domain via pixaby.com.