“A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in.”
While comedy writer Robert Orben has succinctly described the pleasure of a break from work I’d have to say that this quote as a general overview might be somewhat of an oversimplification. At least when little ones are involved.
My husband and I recently returned from a lovely week at lake country, accompanied for most of it by two of our grandchildren, ages five and three. You can well imagine, therefore, that there was plenty to do. Though nothing was exactly scheduled, there was never a moment for just doing nothing.
Most mornings began in a flurry of activity, as the little ones were scuttled in to the washroom, then guided to the dinner table with discussions already underway on what was on the menu for breakfast that day. Then, while they fueled up, Grandma and Papa got suited up for a day at the beach before digging out tiny swimsuits, towels, buckets, pails, sunscreen, snacks and drinks and packing them up in antipation of hours of sand and surf.
When not at the beach, we filled time with bike and trike rides, walks, visits, meals and cleanup. So, really never any shortage of things to do. However, what made this vacation, and most others, awesome, is that we did indeed have the whole day in which to do all the fun stuff.
Since our little guests were picked up by Mom and Dad before the weekend began, though it granted Grandma and Papa a couple of days stretching before them, without goals to be reached or tasks to be accomplished. There were no plans, no schedules and no notion of what might be coming. We spent what was left of our vacation completely at ease, not in search of opportunities for entertainment, but taking them when they arose. It was enough to appreciate the vacation experience as described by Mr. Orben.
Having worked for longer than I care to think about, I’m never eager to fill a vacation with activities. A good book on a quiet beach, a glass of wine while ensconced in a deck chair by the water, a cold drink on a sunny sidewalk café — these are the idylls I choose to pursue when I leave my desk and computer behind. Lazy mornings and quiet long breakfasts are the perfect start to a vacation day. Nights under starry skies by the blazing heat of a campfire ease me to a gentle sleep.
There are always things to see and do, but these are taken at my leisure, when solitude and sitting have lost their appeal. Easy hikes, informative tours, shopping provide mental, social and physical stimulation between the times of respite.
The word vacation isn’t synonymous with any particular season — when the weather is cold people seek comfort in warmer climes. In this corner of the world, we check out colourful autumn landscapes or seek out snowy ski hills as spring revisits. But it’s summer for most of us in the north that offers the best opportunities for doing nothing all day long. Kids are out of school and Mom and Dad are ready for a change of pace.
We celebrate the pleasures of summer, the easier life it offers and vacation time with two great clipart collections:
