A Sabbath Rest for Authors (and others!) by Trevor Thorn

 

Logo of the continuing stalwart work

 of the Keep Sunday Special campaign

Once Sunday trading became almost universal, the whole question of keeping the sabbath became more challenging for many of us. I have to confess that from strongly feeling that SundayTrading was a disaster, I found that the possibility of a quick visit to the local foodstore to complete a Sunday lunch dish was a convenience I couldn’t resist. So, with such a dismal personal record, I looked on at those stalwarts who are even today continuing to do battle over Sunday trading with real admiration. I feel I should stand with them - but know that would make me a hypocrite: not a good feeling at all.

So I’ve taken a softer option. I don’t say this with any pride, but I’ve worked a pattern out that feels to me useful, and who knows, may encourage me and others to a more beneficial view of Sabbath-keeping as we emerge from lockdowns into unknown terrain.

The option is not rigorous, it is very straightforward; but even then I confess to finding it surprisingly hard to keep. 

It is simply that I try to put all electronic communications devices aside on Sunday. Every other day I use my phone or laptop for several hours each day. My principal use other than contact with family members and creative writing (I am thankfully retired) is to promote my personal blog. It is evident that promotional entries every day (except Sundays) improve the viewing rate. So, slightly pathetically, my fingers itch to get to a keyboard on Sundays and on Monday, when the number of views for the previous day is at maybe 20% of the rest of the week, I wonder whether...

There is, for me, even in leaving aside just a limited degree of activity on blog, Facebook, Twitter and a struggle on Pinterest and Instagram, a sense of release to do other things. Certainly, threads which other days might divert me for 10 minutes here, or 2 hours there (thankfully only rarely) are not now part of my Sundays.

But this experience and my thankfulness that I am retired does make me wonder if such an electronic sabbath break could be helpful to others who are, by dint of their work demands, pursued far more relentlessly than I am ever now likely to be. I know that some companies do forbid Sunday communications. I admire that choice and give thanks for what feels to to be enlightened practice. 

I could go on, but I would quickly become repetitive. Where I sense that this might be useful for writers and authors is that a day (not necessarily Sundays - and in fact other days might be more effective in ‘freeing space’) when electronic diversions are not permitted to intrude could be days of heightened and uninterrupted creativity. As more recent generations than mine might say ‘What’s not to like?’.

Ah! But today there will be no promotional entries triggered by me. I...should... be,...must...be,.... faithful!