breaks...

It feels odd to be showing up here.  I've been writing so much on my year prayer challenge that it almost feels redundant or excessive to be over here. But I'm here.  And these words they're not fully formed, and I'm not really sure of my own conclusions.

But I'm here to write. I'm here to work it out.

Recently I've become an avid player of "four pictures one word".  I'm not sure if any of you play it?  But its like this game was made for my brain.  I track it.  I get it. 
Not too long ago, the word was "break" and the four pictures were seemingly, completely unconnected.  And it got my engine of a brain started thinking about the word "break" and the seemingly paradoxical meanings of it. 

On the one hand its a word of destruction.  Something beautiful and fragile becoming irreparably destroyed.  If you need a break from something it generally implies you've become frustrated or irritated to the point where you need space from the task or person. Breaks can be temporary of long term.

On the other hand its a word of relief.  We have spring break, reading break, Christmas break, summer break, all refreshing moments of freedom and relief from our routine.  At work you get a break, a small portion of time to do with as you please, put your feet up, have a snack.  And if we didn't have breaks in cars...we'll let's just say it wouldn't be the best.

 Where's the common ground? And what does it all mean?

And I can't help but think about kitkat bars..."break me off a piece of that..."
And I realize that when you share your chocolate it costs you something, something of value, something you want, something you enjoy, but it offers a gift, a refreshment to another, relief from their hunger. Sacrifice for the one and abundance for the other.  And maybe the meanings meet in the middle of a kitkat bar, or maybe they don't.  But what I do know is that breaks are important and necessary, whether chosen or not. They help to us refocus, to regain our energy, to brainstorm more creatively, to sleep so that we can get back in the game with new wisdom, energy, purpose and strength.