"Every now and then, go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen."
Leonardo da Vinci
By the time this is published, we will have indulged in that glorious respite called a 'vacation'. (Some of this post is being written at the outset; some later. So, a switching between verb tenses is inevitable. And, it is a tad disjointed. But, then, vacations work that kind of magic sometimes.)
Being able to work hard with sense of purpose and fulfillment is a source of great satisfaction, especially at an age well past society's presumed retirement age. While I have had 'rewarding careers' along the way (college alumni director, public school teacher, college professor, self-employed entrepreneur, parish minister), it was when I became a full-time therapist that I knew that I had found 'the right fit'. This occurred when I had reached 62+ birthdays. Yep, it's called 'knowing what I want to be when I grow up'.
The Leonardo quote has long been an influential favorite. Even when we 'love our work', as I do, the potential for fatigue is often 'just around the corner.' Frequently, I urge my clients towards healthy modes of 'self care'. I.e., if we don't take care of ourselves, our abilities and capacities to provide care for others diminish. This is not the same as self-absorbed narcissism.
My wife and I approach 'vacation' from different angles. She is a do-er, a go-er, a see-er. I derive renewed energy from reading, writing, snoozing, hiking, etc. So, we have developed a compromise that gives us each what we need: After breakfast at our time-share, we head out for pre-selected activities that include a substantial lunch. Mid to late afternoon, we head back 'home' for nap, hike, reading, tv, and dinner. It works for us.
I often tell her that her taste buds are much better educated than are mine, so much so that though she 'dines', I merely 'eat'. Wherever we travel, her ability to locate 'fine dining' is always a marvel, and that often at prices that can make 'a dollar holler'. I.e., she knows how to find a bargain.
This week we have been joined by our son (I loathe the designation 'step-son') who lives as a 'refugee' in Los Angeles. She and I regularly vacation in this area and this being his first visit to this destination, we are planning to see places 'again for the first time'.
At home this past week, temp's had been hovering around 80*. After what was seeming like an interminable Winter, Spring appeared finally to have arrived. At Sunday Morning sunrise in the mountains of Virginia, there were still places where the vegetation did not seem to have 'gotten the message'. The 36* thermometer reading may have offered a clue.
Funny, how "little things" bring "big happiness". Weeks of being confined largely to two undamaged rooms of our house (see earlier post: What a Mess !) and endless paper plates and styrofoam cups, as well as no refrigerator, stove nor television, along with several trips to the laundromat, and we were ready for a change of scenery. When we return, little will have been repaired
. . .the tile was still on backorder when we left. But for a week, the opportunity to experience normal digs feels luxurious.
Above: The Den
Below: Laundry Room
Right: This was the kitchen
We have enjoyed some of the hiking trails in the area. But yesterday, we were a bit 'closer to nature' than I care to be. Did you know that rattlesnakes can spend time in the water? I didn't either until 'Google' told us so. Our son saw this one slither off the trail and into the creek: (Look for the "S")
On our last day of vacation, they (wife and son) decided to hike one of the 'moderately difficult' trails. I opted for a four-mile walk down the road from the summit. Somehow they missed the early sign posts and managed instead to hike the 'DIFFICULT' trail. But their sense of satisfaction in the accomplishment was immense. (There is one little sidebar: this morning at 5:50 California time, he called to say that he had just detected a 'hitchhiker' from Virginia. Took me a second to realize that he had found a tick.)
Tomorrow it's back to work . . .and that's a good thing. But in the background, I hear my dad's sometimes musing that he 'needed a vacation to recover from vacation.'
Satchel
As you know, I was on vacation also. I enjoyed the break from my normal everyday life. It looks as if you enjoyed yours too. Keep up the writings! Love it..
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