AM Inspiration: Taking a Break at the Core of the Sun

by Kim, July 16, 2009 at 8:00am

Have you ever stopped to estimate how much time you spend in the sun every week? Not sunbathing, but simply exposed to sunlight? The health benefits of sunlight (with the skin properly protected) are clear: sunshine (or the lack thereof) affects mood, playing a role in Seasonal Affective Disorder. Further,

Yet many people don't even get sun through a window while at work, instead laboring in factories, stores, or offices without windows nearby. And regardless of the worksetting, breaks and lunchtime are often consecrated to consumption: coffee, snacks, running to the store. Consider taking a break to consume nothing but some sun, like the poem from Sri Chinmoy, peace activist:

Whether it's hot or cloudy, the sun is always there for us: why not give it a nod in the morning, at noontime, or on the way home from work, getting off the bus one stop early or taking a turn around the neighborhood? Paying attention to natural phenomena like sunrises and sunsets can open up a world of subtle delights. Emily Dickinson was a poet who scarcely ventured far from home, but just from observing her surroundings was able to craft poetry of universal appeal. From Emily Dickinson's I’ll tell you how the sun rose.

*A bobolink is a type of bird.