The Lack of Time Parents Face

There never seems to be enough time, especially when it comes to exercise and prayer.

Each is essential for our health, either physically or spiritually. But often they get neglected.

A friend who is both a mother and bicycling enthusiast offered some helpful exercise advice. She comes from a large family and sympathized with me on the lack of time parents face.

“Just do it whenever you can,” she said, even if the exercise has to be broken into small bits and scattered throughout the week. That might not be the optimal way to exercise, but it’s a start and better than not moving at all.

I took her advice to heart and have tried to squeeze in physical motion whenever possible, whether sitting at a desk, walking down a hallway or while waiting for the microwave to beep or the toaster to pop. I’ve even used time alone in the bathroom to stretch and move. (At least no one is there to see me or laugh at me.J)

My friend’s advice also could apply to prayer. And I’ve taken that to heart as well.

I get discouraged when I can’t pray the way I think I should be praying, either alone or with family. Large blocks of time – an hour or a half hour at time – can be so hard to find. Sometimes we're just plain exhausted.

So I’ve been trying to use minutes, even seconds, whenever possible.

I spend a lot of time driving each day, though not always on long commutes. Sometimes I can fit in a rosary. But even if I can’t finish, I can resume it on the next trek or during other small breaks in the day. And my driving companions become my prayer companions.

If my mind has to be occupied with work or other matters, I can pause now and then to pray, using my own impromptu words to vent my frustrations to God, praise Him or ask for help – or pray more formally with an “Our Father” or “Glory Be.”

With both prayer and exercise, routines help, so we don’t lapse. We need to make a habit of lifting up our hearts to God at certain times, even if it’s just during television commercials, when we hear church bells or happen to think of a friend or family member in need. Those little moments can be occasions for family prayer, too.

Multi-taskers and those who exercise regularly probably have figured out that prayer and exercise can be combined. For them, praying while walking, running or bicycling comes naturally as they take in the world around them or need a mental focus as they exert themselves.

For people like me, even praying a “Hail Mary” while holding a stretch in the bathroom, is a start at the prayer-exercise combination. It might not be optimal, but it’s better than nothing.

Eventually, after regularly seizing enough little occasions, we might be a bit healthier in body and spirit. And our steps take us closer to St. Paul’s admonition to “pray without ceasing.”

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.