I have new ovens in my kitchen, as of Friday afternoon. No, this is not going to be a rant on my disappointment with my previous ovens, that barely made it eight years, even with two major rounds of repair. That’s a story for another day and another setting. But, I often cook and I find baking to be therapeutic, so you can see why ovens matter to me.

I was, as a result, reflecting on how machines, like my former ovens, just stop. Whether there is a visible sign, or we just know it is there, the words “out of service” are clear. Done. Finished. Not going to do it anymore.

I was thinking, a bit wryly perhaps, that there are times when we, as human beings, might want to just hang a temporary “out of service” sign on ourselves, not that we are not functioning but as a way to recognize that sometimes we just need a break.

Every minute of every day, for most of us, seems to be spoken for by someone or something. We have family obligations, work obligations and more. Even our self care often becomes a must, whether it’s exercise or trying to eat healthy meals, each element carries its own pressure. Granted, some of these are pressures that are of our own making, or commitments we willingly, or of necessity, make but they are pressures all the same.

What would it look like if we gave ourselves an hour or a day of being “out of service?” How would it feel? If we took just one hour to allow ourselves to do something that nourished us emotionally or spiritually or physically, how would that change our life? Would that help us to relieve some of the pressure and stress that are our daily companions?

If we think about being “out of service,” we could embrace that time without guilt, without thinking about all the items on our “to do”list, without stressing about what else we should be doing right at that moment. We are, indeed, “out of service,” and that’s our time to refresh and recharge, in whatever way that works for each of us. Maybe it’s a walk in the park, maybe it’s sitting and reading a book, maybe it’s taking a nap. Whatever the answer is for you, that’s the right answer.

Taking our “out of service” moments enables us to be fully back “in service,” pausing in our lives, without guilty, to help us continue to fill our full hearts.