Thinking Out LoudI’m 20 years old, at my first serious job, trying to figure out the rhythm of the 9-to-5 grind. The half-awake stop-and-start dawn-break bus rides, the excitement of a well-packed lunchbox, and the slog of an afternoon meeting. And although I love my job dearly, it’s got me thinking about work, and whether we are doing it well as human beings.
I spend most of my day staring at my laptop screen with occasional precious looks out the window. The longer I spend inside, the greater my longing is to go outside. I can’t help but feel I have traded sunlight and blue skies for tired eyes and blue light.
I have never been a green-thumb gal. I actually become quite petrified standing in the Aussie bush (although that’s not too surprising with the plants and animals we have).
But, sometimes after sitting at my desk for hours, I think, “I can’t remember the last time I dug my feet into the ground or filled my lungs with fresh air.” The Bible depicts humankind as being formed from the dust of the earth and infused with life by the breath of God. Although not intended to read as anatomically true, it is beautiful imagery connecting the earth and humankind.
However one chooses to read the Genesis account of creation, there seems to be a disconnect; we have become foreigners in our own homeland. The very first task given to humanity by God, to care for the animals and cultivate the earth, requires deeper connection with our environment than modern life allows.
I greatly appreciate my clean, air-conditioned, perfectly lit office. But I feel more human when I’m sun-soaked, wind-swept, and in tune with the symphony of mountains and birdsong.
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