*NOTE: Whenever I write I try and do some checking on the words and phrases I use. That little bit of research led me to restructuring today’s message title from ” Zero Day” to “Taking a ‘Zero’ day”. That being said, this message is NOT about threat risks, zero hour, zero day, doomsday, cyber attacks, security vulnerabilities, etc. It’s simply about “Going for a walk.”
I’m currently reading AWOL On The Appalachian Trail, by David Miller. Actually I’m not reading it, I’m listening to it when I’m driving the roads of Minnesota.
I do a lot of driving around the state and I often tire of listening to musk radio, sports… and whatever else happens to be on the radio. I like stories, so I bought this one and I’ve enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share some if it with you! The story is not complicated, it’s simply about a guy, trail name: “AWOL” who left his job to hike the Appalachian Trail. A good book, a good read (or listen).
The book shares many of the rituals and routines (and the language) these hikers follow when on the “AT”. One term that particularly caught my eye (ear) was the idea of a zero day. A zero day is a day when you travel zero miles on the trail. It’s a day when you take time to rest, recover, restock, refresh, relax, recreate, relax, review, reflect, renew… well, you get the idea. A zero day doesn’t mean you aren’t working or moving. It just means you’re not logging new miles on the trail. Sounded like a good idea. So last Friday I took a zero day in my hike down the Public Safety Ministries Trail.
As I took a rest and reflected on the ministry I realized how much time I’ve spent developing relationships and hearing the stories of Minnesota public safety professionals and their professional organizations. I’ve also been blessed with the support of a friend who has helped me with a six month process that produced a quality strategic plan for PSM. Administrative time spent running the ministry and keeping the business healthy has also been time consuming. I’ve been retired from EPPD for almost seven years now, working full time with PSM. The demand and opportunity to provide spiritual health care services is continually increasing. The support and positive reception I’ve received in bringing spiritual health resources into the workplace has been wonderful. It has become clear that the work of this ministry is not going away. Lots of stuff going on, lots of stuff that I’d like to spend more time sharing with you. And more to come…
