Vacation...
Or as www.dictionary.com puts it, "Freedom or release from business, duty, or activity." What really is a vacation? Do we ever have enough vacations? Do we ever give ourselves time for a vacation?
It's so ironic that I recently read in this month's Men's Health, that taking a vacation is one of the best things that someone can do for themselves from a health standpoint. But I think what really hammered it home for me, is that they said, you don't necessarily need to go somewhere in order to have a vacation.
This past week, I was able to return to Michigan, my homeland, and returned quite sun burnt. For those of you who may or may not know, I grew up on a rather small inland lake, only about a mile long, and fifteen feet deep at the deepest. Not grand by any means, but certainly an area that provided many childhood memories to date. While there, it really struck me how even something as simple as throwing out a fishing line can be a vacation. It's amazing how much something that I got so spoiled with having in my own backyard, I guess I took for granted, because I had the greatest time doing that this past week! Granted all I caught was probably a 6 inch blue gill while Ashley caught a 16 inch bass, but still it was fun to just have a release as the above definition put it.
Also, I had the chance to take out the canoe on the water. It was just utterly amazing to be out on those calm waters by myself, and just not think about, or plan ANYTHING. But I guess that's what hit me, is that I can with any amount of free time, just take a vacation. Even if it's a 15 minute trip to the library, store, etc. Being back in familiar territory like that, I realized how much our lives just get filled with stuff, and we just get bogged down, always feeling like we have to plan EVERYTHING! How often do those plans, and organization of things ever work out?
It made me realize one thing that can always mess up people's vacations. Planning everything. Everyone always has to have everything mapped up. Yes, you can go in with a goal of seeing things, getting things done, but all in all it can just make things more stressful. Just let it happen.
I finally had a chance, I think, to have a true vacation, or a release, and realize many things. But I'm curious as to what others think. What is a vacation to you? Is it taking trip somewhere? Seeing everything there is to see? Getting away from work?
It's so ironic that I recently read in this month's Men's Health, that taking a vacation is one of the best things that someone can do for themselves from a health standpoint. But I think what really hammered it home for me, is that they said, you don't necessarily need to go somewhere in order to have a vacation.
This past week, I was able to return to Michigan, my homeland, and returned quite sun burnt. For those of you who may or may not know, I grew up on a rather small inland lake, only about a mile long, and fifteen feet deep at the deepest. Not grand by any means, but certainly an area that provided many childhood memories to date. While there, it really struck me how even something as simple as throwing out a fishing line can be a vacation. It's amazing how much something that I got so spoiled with having in my own backyard, I guess I took for granted, because I had the greatest time doing that this past week! Granted all I caught was probably a 6 inch blue gill while Ashley caught a 16 inch bass, but still it was fun to just have a release as the above definition put it.
Also, I had the chance to take out the canoe on the water. It was just utterly amazing to be out on those calm waters by myself, and just not think about, or plan ANYTHING. But I guess that's what hit me, is that I can with any amount of free time, just take a vacation. Even if it's a 15 minute trip to the library, store, etc. Being back in familiar territory like that, I realized how much our lives just get filled with stuff, and we just get bogged down, always feeling like we have to plan EVERYTHING! How often do those plans, and organization of things ever work out?
It made me realize one thing that can always mess up people's vacations. Planning everything. Everyone always has to have everything mapped up. Yes, you can go in with a goal of seeing things, getting things done, but all in all it can just make things more stressful. Just let it happen.
I finally had a chance, I think, to have a true vacation, or a release, and realize many things. But I'm curious as to what others think. What is a vacation to you? Is it taking trip somewhere? Seeing everything there is to see? Getting away from work?