Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-12
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Minute Vacations
Amid the wintry blasts Of
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United States Senate

OF vacation delights. The i'm
pulse TO get away from con-
fining routine, TO the freedom
Of scheduleless days and TO
the peace or perhaps the
excitement Of fresh scenes, is
always stirring the gypsy
blood which Is in us all. That
explains why, when q holi-
day comes, and school is
out" II only for q week end,
the highways Of the Nation
present q bumper-to- bumper
caravan Of released pilgrims
responding TO the lure Of far
places. In most cases. such
roads Of realization run back
across long stretches Of an
ticipation. For 1t comes TO
pass that during winters
dreary weeks when the near
and known pail. eager eyes
gaze at magazine depictions
ana gay travel folders baited
with all the ingenuity Of art
telling tantalizingly Of pic
turesque and delectable
places where every prospect
pleases. Such adorned propa-
ganda seems like picture win
dows into paradise.
It is well thus to escape.
not from toiling hours. but
in them. by indulging In
imaginary odysseys which
stud with borrowed jewels
days which have become gray
and drab. But let 1t be said
that this Janus-rnonth medi-
tation has nothing to do with
the fulfilment Of such vaca-
ton fantasies involving cars
and planes. railroads and
liners. Its setting is not no.
tells and resorts. historical
spots and magnificent seem
cry. It is all suggested by q
phrase which came from the
heart Of a friend 5000 miles
away in a greeting for the
new year. To be sure 1t has
TO do with vacations, but not
holidays which involve travel
and distance from ones own
front door. This magic
phrase is freighted with q
golden idea which IL prac-
ticed Is guaranteed to make
the new year new. It sug-
gests a technique which finds
in each day Of the year an
escape into a realm Of re-
creation-where. finding the
elixir of spiritual renewal,
faded souls can join the testi-
mony Of David in the long
ago when he exclaimed CRATE
fully, He restoreth my soul. "
Here are the half-dozen
words in the greeting re-
ferred to which came from
across the sea: THE art Of
taking minute vacations" To
be a master Of that art one
need not leave job or home.
In practice it means delib-
erately to open windows and
doors that will stretch out
the far horizons and edge
with crimson and gold the
common task and the trivial
round. All strategy for great
living and noble achieving is
based on the beneficent law
Of minutes and days. Just as
we ascend the stairway to
higher levels one step at a
time. so God broke our year
into hours and days. Each
new day. no matter how
heavily burdened, brings min
utes which are invitations to a
vacation which will strength
en- and enrich. Shall We say
1t with the reverence. which
any glimpse Of Jesus Of
Nazareth casts over our
hushed spirits. that He, whom
we rightly call Master. was in
the habit of taking daily va
cations? They were the
strength of His strenuous
days as. alone, He went into
the solitude of the desert
away from the throngs but
never away from His Father.
A New York businessman
committing daily to the great
city made a significant reply
to- one who called the tun-
nels. through which travel
ers to Manhattan must pass.
a terrible nuisance" He
confded that for IA years he
had been compelled to be
hurled through a tunnel at
the end Of the trip. Said he.
Il know that in two minutes
We win emerge amid the
crowds Of the vast city with
all the pressures Of the day
ahead. But for those mo-
ments one is alone in the
dark" Then came this radi-
ant testimony. Il found that
the best time to pray I ever
discovered. / think I can do
real business with God in
those two minutes" He was
saying that otherwise vacant
minutes became for him q