Our August query was shared by Sky Skyler.

On the first Sunday of each month we read a Query , which is a question or questions that can be used to guide our
inquiry into some aspect of our faith, life, or practice.

Various Yearly Meetings or other groups have given great consideration to these Queries and written them down for all to
use. From time to time a meeting may write new queries to address some aspect of current day life.

I like to not only read, but adapt when posing a query, and will do that today.

From Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, this Query fragment -- "Do I balance my work-life and other activities with the time and
energy needed for my spiritual growth and service?"

In the Summer, many members of Lake Forest Friends Meeting take breaks or vacations, sometimes traveling quite a
distance to a spot for a summer "retreat" of sorts. For some, kids are off from school. For others, the job changes during
the summer. And some of us do not take any protracted vacation, but there's always an hour or two that you can grab for
an impromptu "retreat." SOOOOO here is the Query I would pose today:

• When we retreat or "vacate" from ordinary life, be it for an hour, a day, or longer, do we use some of that time as
an opportunity to reflect on or examine our regular daily lives?

• Do we recharge ourselves in a spirit of preparing or repairing our energy and personal reserves so as to better
address our goals or issues when we return to daily life.

• Do we look for opportunities to learn new things, or even to invigorate our performance on "old" things?

• Do we endeavor to return to regular activities refreshed, with new ideas or skills, and with a willingness to
re-engage with a re-freshed body and mind?