Whatever Is Foreseen In Joy by Wendell Berry

Whatever is foreseen in joy
Must be lived out from day to day.
Vision held open in the dark
By our ten thousand days of work.
Harvest will fill the barn; for that
The hand must ache, the face must sweat.
And yet no leaf or grain is filled
By work of ours; the field is tilled
And left to grace. That we may reap,
Great work is done while we’re asleep.

When we work well, a Sabbath mood
Rests on our day, and finds it good.

There is always work to do in community. The most important skill of a community is its ability to rest, to stop the mad cycle of production that will eventually consume us all. Produce we must, and surely “our hands must ache, our face must sweat.” And yet, the great joy of life is knowing that the world does not depend on our work. When we work well, we stand confident in the promise that the world does not depend on us, but instead we make a joyful contribution as we can, and then rejoice in rest.

For Reflection: Sit down. Take a nap. Be grateful.