Refreshing weary souls

24 January 2022

Taking time out to restore body, mind, and spirit

Words Belinda Davis

One of my favourite things to do in a body of water is to lie on my back and float. I find it to be a multifaceted feeling of bliss and relaxation, and I enjoy the sense of weightlessness as I let the water keep me hovering on the surface.

Couple that with the loss of the excessive noise of the world as the water covering my ears gives me a muted auditory experience, and I can more easily tune out to the call for ‘Mum’ or any other role that demands my vigilance.

Floating in the ocean is even easier, as the salt level in the water assists buoyancy and it requires less effort to keep afloat. Unfortunately, unless it is a particularly calm day, floating in the ocean is less of a horizontal experience!

In a swimming pool you’re not fighting the tide, seaweed or ocean creatures, but often other swimmers. Plus, it requires greater concentration and muscle use to keep afloat. What you gain on one hand you seem to lose on the other.

At the holiday accommodation we were blessed to stay at recently, I discovered the best of both worlds. There was a small outdoor pool space that wasn’t overly used by other residents – almost every time we went it was only the three of us there.

As we enjoyed our first swim, we discovered that it was a saltwater pool. I cannot recall ever experiencing one before, but I certainly felt as if all my floating Christmases had come at once!

No crowds, no waves, high salt, less effort 

lie back with my hands behind my head and just relax. I barely had to think about anything.

Normally I would be on alert for all manner of things, from my physical appearance to what we were having for dinner. I usually also hold tightly to all the complexities I face in life – the interactions, the demands, changes in society, and the need to continue to grow and learn.

On these occasions, however, I found it so easy to disengage with my stressors and just ‘be’. Taking the time to float restored an equilibrium to my soul.

As I let go, I found my mind able to drift to other things and my relaxed brain was freed to unconsciously resolve situations and concerns I had been knowingly or unknowingly wrestling with. There is a wealth of neuroscience to explain this phenomenon, and I am grateful for the opportunity afforded to me to do this.

Life is a complicated journey that can sometimes feel like it squeezes our capacity to 

think straight when we need it most. God does not desire that for his children and in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, chapter 31 and verse 25, he says, “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” 

I have discovered that when I look for opportunities to take a breath in life, God provides them for me. I don’t always take those moments, because I can sometimes feel that I am too important or needed in life to afford the time to be refreshed. 

Now I seek out spaces to help me float through life, without needing to find a salt-water pool to do so. Although, if you have one in your backyard you can let me use, I will be especially grateful! 

Belinda Davis is a Salvation Army officer (pastor) in South Australia. She blogs at a-blessed-life.com