I often daydream about visiting all the exotic and wonderful countries in this big world such as Italy or Spain. However, I do have champagne dreams with a soda pop budget at this time, so daydreaming holidays are all I can muster up. I recently took almost two weeks off from work. I planned it perfectly. The first three days would be filled with absolutely nothing. I could get up when I wanted, get dressed if I wanted and simply spend the day being mindless and out of touch, if I wanted. I did, for a day, then, I got restless. I’m not use to doing nothing.
I couldn’t even sleep in, something that I swore I was going to do every day of my vacation. I have the good fortune of having a wonderful friend who opened her home to me on the Monterey Coast, so I drove down there for four days. I met some new interesting people, saw a movie, walked along the shops and galleries of Carmel, hiked the coast side of Point Lobos and sat quietly on a beach and listened to the waves hit the shore and the thoughts in my head.
The California coastline is simply the best and I sometimes forget how beautiful my own backyard can be.
I don’t have to travel far to enjoy what so many of us in this area take for granted. I’m one hour from San Francisco, two from Napa Valley and about forty-five minutes from the coast. As I drove along the coast heading home, I found myself wondering why I didn’t come out here more often. Do we really need to take a vacation from our jobs and our lives to enjoy the simple pleasures of everyday living?
I spent the next few days in my lovely studio, painting and redecorating a bit with stuff I already had stored in my garage. I changed the furniture around and set out a few paintings and objects that brought joy to me.
I baked banana bread, tried out a new pasta recipe and drank some wine that I’ve been saving for a special occasion. The special occasion, enjoying and appreciating the time I had to spend with a person I’ve neglected, me.
Our lives are hectic, full of obligations to our families, employers, friends, and communities. Many of us can’t fathom having a day to ourselves. There is not enough hours in the day to sometimes fulfill our well laid plans.
I watch my children with their children and I know how busy young families are. I remember what it’s like to work sixty plus hours to make the numbers and climb that forever growing ladder. When I turned fifty, I made a life-changing decision, to simplify my life. Have I been successful? Somewhat. I am still pursuing a dream of getting my novel written, still working a job five days a week to pay the bills and still trying to figure out what all of this is really about. I do know one thing, we don’t have to wait until an official vacation to go in to vacation mode. It may only be a day or a few hours but look around your neighborhood, find a park, a hiking trail, a quiet cafe or a big tree where you can just be. Daydream about Italy or wherever your travels may take you.
It’s one vacation you won’t be exhausted from when you return.
