Staying Grounded in the Grind

My withdrawal to the waters on my 76th birthday

Staying Grounded in the Grind

That's something that I’ve found myself saying to friends who ask me how I am doing during the book tour for The False White Gospel, which has gone on since the book launch on April 2, and promises to continue through and even after the election on November 5. Twelve cities in the first two weeks and many more since, with dozens of events on the schedule for the summer and fall. I realized I would be ground up in such a grind of national and regional meetings and media and podcast interviews, unless I could stay grounded with reflection, prayer and rest as needed.

My wonderful therapist, now a friend, told me I need to take time and space away from work and home to make cycles for physical rest and spiritual rejuvenation. I love the water and being close to it, and he reminded me of that. We talked about how some love the mountains, or forests, or even the desert; but we both love the water and he advised me on some close places to go.

Every August my family goes away for a several weeks vacation on Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. It is a place that was introduced to me by two beloved mentors – William Stringfellow and Daniel Berrigan. Bill lived there with his partner Anthony Town, moving from New York City after his health began to fail. Dan often came to visit and rest, and was arrested there while hiding from the Feds after the Catonsville Nine action against the Vietnam War, by FBI agents posing as bird watchers – still a legendary story on the Island. 

Dan spent almost two years in Danbury Prison, and Bill built a simple cottage for him on the Mohegan bluffs over spectacular views of the Atlantic ocean, where some of us kindred spirits have spent wondrous times over many years, and Joy and I were in charge of managing the simple but beautifully situated cottage after Dan, because of his health, couldn't visit any more. The cottage had to be sold but my family now stays in other favorite places near the water!

From most places on Block Island, you can see the water, and endless walks on the beach become a Psalm 23 reflection. Here is the wonderful King James translation of verses 1-3:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake.”

Beautiful beach dunes spread before the green pastures and the ocean waters can be calm or have waves pounding – but always with the endless sounds of the sea as I walk, listen, repeat the Psalm and look at the water close at hand and at the sky above, which helps me to pray. I often realize that we seldom look up at the sky in the city, and now so many of us are looking down at our phones.

Because the word for “righteousness” in the passage, also means “justice” in Hebrew, Psalm 23 has a personal meaning for me. The paths of justice lead us into many risky situations which can even resonate with what the Psalm says in verse 4: “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for the rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Walking in the paths of justice, “for his namesake,” can make you feel at risk or even alone sometimes. But to walk beside the green pastures and still waters can indeed restore your soul, when you feel the staff of the Lord alongside holding you up too.

But that is only once each year for our annual family vacation, which my therapist friend reminded me was not enough. He told me to find some waters to look at and walk alongside nearer to home and more frequently. He also reminded me of some gospel stories when Jesus stepped away for rest and replenishment. He often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed (Luke 5:16)  After intense days of healings and casting out demons, “with the whole city gathered together at the door,” as Mark 1:30-35 describes, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place, and there He prayed.” I often refer to the constant “incoming fire” that engages and distracts so many of us, but none of the demands on our lives could compare with what Jesus faced.

I turned 76 this week. In response to my friend’s good advice and as a birthday present to myself, I drove up to the Chesapeake Bay, across the Bay Bridge, watching all that water. I found a place directly on that lovely Bay, with a golf course right there too! I really don’t find time to play much golf but I always enjoy “the walk in the park,” as some have called it, though Mark Twain regarded golf as “a good walk spoiled!’ But I enjoyed the walk and the close Bay waters. 

I mention golf because of a moment I had related to accepting my aging, which I too often tend to ignore. One of my colleagues at the Center on Faith and Justice looked at my book tour schedule and said to me with a smile, “This is a young man’s schedule!” He was right, and it was the most demanding traveling and speaking schedule I have had since before COVID. And I did wonder how my older body, now with a hip replacement, would do with all that travel, so much walking, standing for long periods of speaking and discussion, and a new hotel most every night. I made it through even better than I thought I might. But to be honest, I think I took some pride in that and was happy to tell people how well I did. 

Here is where golf comes in. Just before I departed on the 18 hole course, I asked the golf pro what kinds of tees they had. He asked, “How old are you?” When I told him, he looked me directly in the eyes and said, “You should be using the senior tees. That's what your age qualifies you for and those are the tees you should definitely use.” That got me thinking. When I play with my sons and their friends, I tee up on the same golf tees as the young guys do, and always see my good straight drives falling far short of theirs, where mine used to fall. That was also true of other shots too, except for putting! So I used the senior tees, as instructed by the golf pro, and shot one of the best rounds I had in a long time.

Use the senior tees, and keep on shooting. A good birthday lesson for aging. But I was only golfing because I had withdrawn for a couple days to my favorite wilderness place – the waters – for rest, reflection, and prayer. And my therapist is right that I need to do that more often, even regularly as Jesus clearly did. 

We face a grueling grind over these next several months, leading up to the election when crucial choices for the nation’s future and the church’s integrity are going to be made. Very bad and dangerous things keep happening, which I could have written this column about this week, and will with future columns. Instead, I decided to write this one about my withdrawal to the waters on my 76th birthday. And more of that over the summer will make me more able to give more to the critical things I believe in, and to which my vocation is calling in this most urgent electoral season. 

All of you have similar choices to make, and I wanted you to know that you are not alone.

Blessings,

Jim

The False White Gospel is available on Amazon and other booksellers.