Davison's Doodle

Sabbatical Time: Segment 1

“What About Bob,” is one of my favorite movies. Bill Murray plays Bob, a guy with some issues about all sorts of things. On several occasions Bob grabs a brown bag and places it over his mouth as if he is about to vomit. After a moment, he says, “False alarm.” That sums up how I feel about sabbatical, even as the first day of my first segment begins, today. So, I’ve got that going for me.

I’m also starting sabbatical with this thought from Seth Godin.

The Spiderman Paradox

On one hand, Uncle Ben’s rule makes great sense: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

The essence of the rule is that once you have great power, you need to take the responsibility that goes with it.

And yet, it’s backfiring.

It’s backfiring because so many walk away from their great power. They walk away because they don’t want the responsibility.

We have the power to vote, but decide to stay home and whine.
The power to publish, but click instead.
The power to lead, but follow meekly.
The power to innovate, but ask for rules of thumb instead.
The power to lend a hand, but walk away.

Most people watch videos, they don’t make them. Most people read tweets, they don’t write them. Most people walk away from the chance to lead online and off, in our virtual communities and with the people down the street.

In a democracy, we each have more power to speak up and to connect than we imagine. But most people don’t publish their best work or seek to organize people who care. Most of the time, it’s far easier to avert our eyes or blame the system or the tech or the dominant power structure.

There are millions who insist we’d be better off with a monarchy. The main reason: what happens after that is no longer their responsibility. Go work for the man, it saves you from having to be responsible.

When the local business disappears, it’s because we didn’t shop there. When the local arts program fades away, it’s because we watched Netflix instead. And when the local school persists in churning out barely competent cogs for the industrial system, it’s because we didn’t speak up.

Culture is what we build, and that’s powerful.

(Seth Godin, “The Spiderman Paradox.” January 5, 2019)

I will write more during sabbatical. Some of that will show up here. I posted last month about my thought projects for my sabbatical segments. No doubt, some of that will show up here. I’ve got a reading list as well. It is an ambitious list for me. I read slowly. Yes, my mother took my sister and I to the library as children, though I wanted to be outside goofing off, jumping my bike over, anything, anything other than reading, outside or inside. And, I think I have some dyslexia which was self diagnosed long before there were Holiday Inn Express commercials. For me, reading takes a lot of concentration and it puts me to sleep even when it is a piece I that interests me. Yet, I spend a lot of time reading news and resources. Rather than sit and read, initially, I will be reading at my standing desk. Here is my reading list.

Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography.

iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That Means for the Rest of Us
Jean M. Twenge

Will Our Children Have Faith
John H. Westerhoff
This is a book I revisit each year that was foundational reading for Religion majors during my time at TCU.

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
Neil Postman

Leading Change: Church Leadership Amid Turmoil (dvd)
Dr. Peter L. Steinke

From Father to Son: Wisdom for the Next Generation
Allen Appel

A Walk in the Woods
Bill Bryson

The Springsteen and Bryson books were gifts from my companion.

I am told by people that have experienced sabbatical that it is important to ritualize the beginning and end. This marks time and sets the tone for stepping away from work responsibilities that is different than going on vacation or holiday. When I lead a study trip or mission trip the first day is a separation day. At the end of the day during our examine time I ask, “What are you leaving behind to be fully present this week?” I am aware of what I am leaving, wait . . . false alarm. There are colleagues adding some of my responsibilities to their work. I’m a grateful for their gift. Some of my responsibilities will go on hiatus. I will mark my sabbatical segments with float time. What? Think sensory depravation tank.

My companion and I like roller coasters. Buckle up. Here I go.