Say no to what you don’t want to make space for what you want

It’s Friday. It’s the weekend. And there is no better occasion to talk about how much this world pushes all of us to seek enjoyment, often at the expense of meaning.

Of course any healthy activity can be fun if we do it without casting aside our spirit. But a closer relationship with God raises the bar really high for us. We become selective in a good way: the quality of the company matters a lot, and how the activity contributes to our well being is crucial.

We also have the understanding that spiritual joy doesn’t always translate into worldly happiness and smiles. Being more acutely aware of life’s struggles, we learn to feel content in each and every situation.

It is certainly important to share our lives with others. We are called to be lights in the darkness, not to hide ourselves from the world. And yet we have to be mindful of where, how and with whom to share our lives with.

So if on Fridays and weekends you always feel like you should be with others, but you rarely, if ever, feel peaceful during, or afterwards, take a step back. There is nothing wrong with being alone. And we need to learn to say no to what we don’t want in order to make space for what we want.