2021年英语四级美文赏析：What Happened to Sunday?思维导图

Todayourlifeandworkrarelyfeellight,pleasantorhealing.Instead,thewholeexperienceofbeingalivebeginstomeltintooneenormousobligation.Itbecomesthestandardgreetingeverywhere:“Iamsobusy.”Wesaythistooneanotherwithnosmalldegreeofpride.Thebusierweare,themoreimportantweseemtoourselvesand,weimagine,toothers.

Tobeunavailabletoourfriendsandfamily,tobeunabletofindtimeforthesunset,towhizthroughourobligationswithouttimeforasinglemindfulbreath—thishasbecomethemodelofasuccessfullife.Becausewedonotrest,weloseourway.Welosethenourishmentthatgivesushelp.Wemissthequietthatgivesuswisdom.Poisonedbythebeliefthatgoodthingscomeonlythroughtirelesseffort,wenevertrulyrest.Thisisnottheworldwedreamedofwhenwewereyoung.

Howdidwegetsoterriblyrushedinaworldsaturatedwithworkandresponsibility,yetsomehowbereftofjoyanddelight?WehaveforgottentheSabbath.Sabbathisthetimetoenjoyandcelebratewhatisbeautifulandgood—timetolightcandles,singsongs,worship,tellstories,blessourchildrenandlovedones,givethanks,sharemeals,nap,andwalk.Itistimetobenourishedandrefreshedasweletourwork,ourchoresandourimportantprojectsliefallow,trustingthattherearelargerforcesatworktakingcareoftheworldwhenweareatrest.

Sabbathismorethantheabsenceofwork.Manyofus,inourdesperatedrivetobesuccessfulandcareforourmanyresponsibilitiesfeelterribleguiltwhenwetaketimetorest.ButtheSabbathhasprovenitswisdomovertheages.Manyofusstillrecallwhen,notlongago,shopsandofficeswereclosedonSundays.ThosequietSundayafternoonsareembeddedinourculturalmemory.