Sometimes I wonder if American culture is skewing toward so much work and productivity that we have cheapened the notion of vacation to an unhealthy degree. I could also speculate about the cost of living, but, honestly, my friends in the camping and fishing realm are taking lots of cheap-o vacations and having more fun than their upper middle class, sadder neighbors.
I am on vacation at present with my husband. Before going on vacation I was using tired, lame-o excuses for why we could just stay home with our time off, catch up on housework and enjoy the quiet while we did the exact same thing in the exact same place like we always do.
I’m checking in real quick to say going away from your life to a different location has value. There is value in having days in a new place with nothing normal at your finger tips. There is value in the concept of rest and it is dangerous and unhealthy to play the “must be nice” card or find reasons why you are a more virtuous person for NOT resting and retreating when we were created and designed for such a thing.
A work and rest balance. A productivity and inactivity balance. An output and input balance. A reason and irrational balance. They go together. They should both be present. You can borrow a tent, pack whatever food is in your pantry, borrow 15 dollar tent fee from your mom and go sleep in a field for one night. Priceless.
You can pack an overnight bag, a loaf of bread, PB and J and a water bottle, call your old college roommate in a town eight hours away and go in order to let your brain work in a different mode than the one it typically utilizes.
Brains are magical creations. You are a magical creation. This life is a magical creation and, if we start trusting in a culture where joyless turmoil and online presence are the hallmarks of a life, then the future we leave to our children and young people will only become hollow and in more need of those things we now require so desperately to cope- drink, drugs, food, escape, and internet.
Fun is important. Not having a reason for doing something other than wanting to is really really important. Changing the scene, the context and the thoughts is important in order that we return to our front doorstep with things our living room simply cannot give us. Vacation is important. I’m glad I argued in favor of it even as I had those “good girl” doubts about not getting things done and not wanting to waste the money. We don’t get any of these days back. Use them well and use them unwisely sometimes. High five.