All year I say, "things will calm down in the summer," "when we get a break in the summer I'll ____." But, as I'm sure you can attest, unless you're in school you don't really get a summer break. In fact, if you have students (ie kids) at home you're likely to get the opposite of a break as you have to navigate childcare and their change in schedule.
The work (overwork) culture in the US is horrific. Dangerous even. The cognitive impact of overworking can include cognitive fatigue, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and impaired problem-solving ability. It's like trying to work with a desk covered in clutter. I can’t write if I’m sitting down to a cluttered desk. Our brains are the same. Overworking causes our brains to become such a cluttered mess that we can’t even think. Boy, do I feel that.
Aside from the biblical instruction for taking sabbath (another time I’ll unpack the meaning and context of Jesus healing on the sabbath), if we really need extra motivation, Lin-Manuel Miranda was on vacation when he came up with the idea for Hamilton.
“It’s no accident that the best idea I’ve ever had in my life — perhaps maybe the best one I’ll ever have in my life — came to me on vacation. The moment my brain got a moment’s rest, Hamilton walked into it.”
I don’t expect a Hamilton-equivalent idea to walk into my head during a vacation, but it makes sense that a break creates space for imagination.
How are you creating space to take a break this summer?
I’ve always been jealous of the European commitment to take August off. For them it’s not just travel to another place, but simply be-ing. If shops and restaurants close you don’t get to go to the coffee shop, but instead you get to spend time with your friends who would ordinarily work at the coffee shop. Vacations, time off, seem like they aren’t a consumerist practice instead they are person-centered. Here in the United States it's really hard to take a break and many don’t have the luxury of a real break.
It doesn't have to be a traveling vacation. Stay home from work, take naps, read, be lazy, go for walks, take a long weekend, slow dinners, more naps, USE YOUR VACATION DAYS!!!
WildWood will also be taking a break for August. I had originally thought that I would plan some other meet-ups, playdate, walks, coffeeshop, but instead I want to empower you to connect with each other. (I’ll create an email list of those who are local.) We will come back together on August 25 for the second part of Nature + Spirituality: Ecological Grief. Beginning with a (optional) nature walk at 3 pm at Watershed Park, Eastside St., followed by a guided reflection and conversation at 4 pm at the church.
So, I’ve just laid out a sound argument for rest because I still feel the need to justify taking a break. Ha! WildWood will be taking a break for August. I had originally thought that I would plan some other meet-ups, playdate, walks, coffeeshop, but instead I want to empower you to connect with each other. (I’ll create an email list of those who are local.) We will come back together on August 25 for the second part of Nature + Spirituality: Ecological Grief. Beginning with a (optional) nature walk at 3 pm at Watershed Park, Eastside St., followed by a guided reflection and conversation at 4 pm at the church.
Friends, take breaks and rest where you can.
USE YOUR VACATION DAYS!!! You have them for a reason. Set an example for your friends and coworkers, you’re not being selfish. Copy and paste this if you need justification or say it’s a religious obligation and you need appropriate accommodations. 😉
I’ll see you at the end of August. ♥︎
Blessings,
Liz
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