March—A Moment Around Noon

There’s a moment around noon every Sunday

Where I find my personal needs rushing to surface and consuming all my thoughts.

All of a sudden I am hungry, I am thirsty, I have to go to the bathroom, I am exhausted. 

Call it the life of a pastor's wife. 

For a few hours every week, my mind and my spirit are so preoccupied that not one thought can be diverted to physical needs.

It would feel like stopping for a pedicure on mile 18 of a marathon. 


I’m preoccupied 

with trying to remember chord progressions

and watching my kids

and making quite certain they haven’t fallen into the baptistery

and actually worshipping or learning or connecting

and wishing I could meet every new person

and wishing I could spend a full day with every person

and checking again to make sure my kids haven’t fallen into the baptistery

and wondering where we’re eating lunch.

.

.

.

Deep breath.

.

.

.

There’s a moment 

around noon 

where everything stops

.

.

.

And at the first signs of relief, 

All these other needs 

Come rushing to the surface. 

And all of a sudden

.

.

.

I am hungry,

I am thirsty, 

I have to go to the bathroom, 

I am exhausted. 


And there was a moment today,

On this March afternoon,

When I stepped into the sunshine, 

And recognized that feeling again.


In the winter, I keep my head down and barrel through. 

I put every ounce of strength into getting by and fending off the cold and surviving.

And not one thought can be diverted to my personal needs. 


It would feel like stopping for a pedicure on mile 18 of a marathon. 


But there’s a moment

In March 

When everything stops, 

When I walk into the sunshine 

And feel the first hints of warmth, 

And all my needs come rushing to the surface. 


I need spring,

I need heat, 

I need sun, 

I need color. 


And I stand outside, 

And take it all in.