A respite or a scheduled time off from work, school or any activity happens to be the official definition of vacation. I ask you how many times do you truly believe when taking a vacation that you totally take off from such activities, and deviate from the normal every day-to-day nose to the grind stone living? When taking a vacation from work we are vacating. Vacating's definition means one would leave or vacate one's home or work for a specific time. The question remains do we vacate our thoughts from the home or work?
How often have we lied to ourselves about our own vacations, and find time to do that one extra duty? When packing for a vacation from work we end up taking, our computer, cell phone, PDA, and other such devices to be able to stay in contact with the regular world. Vacations are for relaxation to become less tense, rigid and to relieve that built up nervous tension. If a person is always thinking about work, home or other regular daily chores, then the vacation becomes useless, and non productive.
Vacations are to create an intermission between work and home, as well as, the health and welfare of our body, mind and soul. Without such interruption a person will collect rust, dust and dirt in these areas, and find dis-ease waiting to infiltrate their whole being. Dis-ease will find it's way in sooner than later, and then will make a person take time off. Wouldn't time off be better well spent when it can be enjoyed, instead of one sleeping, blowing the nose, couching, hacking and etc...A respite would help us stay healthy in mind and body.
Today, I'm packing and making ready for a four day vacation. As I was making my list of items that I needed to take with me, I thought about taking my laptop computer to work on my editing and my blog. I wanted to take it because the place I'm staying has free Wi-Fi service. Which would make editing and writing in my blog so much easier. Then my mind sent me a question, "What is your purpose for taking this vacation?" I am to relax, to relieve my stress, to enjoy the goodness and beauty of what life has to offer. My mind stirred and said, "Then why would you want to take your laptop, your writings, and the things that remind you of work?"
I think being able to become less tense, less focused and more relaxed is a good intention for a vacation. Relaxation is casting off the impurities of the body, mind and soul, but there is more. To relax is to seek rest and relaxation. This seeking can only be accomplished by leaving or vacating the regular mundane activities of the regular days, weeks or months.
Stress infects a person's whole outlook on life, and that perception becomes distorted with unrealistic views of problems or situations. These profound unrealistic problems then become solved with poor, costly mistakes. Stress is a constraining force and an influence with such immense powers that can cause breakage. Stress can and will alter an existent equilibrium. This alteration can also result in deformation, twisting, pulling, and pushing on a body. With such power comes the effect of dis-ease, emotional and/or physical cessation.
Time is of the essence that each of us no matter what stresses are being pushed upon us must take an intermission. We need to cease doing and start having intervals of relaxation. Without such interruption of the regular chores we build up stress, and this stress will cause breakage, or dis-ease. (There-in lays the reason I write disease as dis-ease, because we aren't at ease with ourselves.) We allow the buildup of stresses to inhabit each major aspect of ourselves; the body, mind and soul. Yes, stress will attack and take residence in each of these necessary aspects of who we are. Remember with stress can come breakage.
Spring is upon us, summer is around the corner. Many of us want to spend some time away with friends or family. If we aren't careful, the work world, the home world can infect our relaxing vacation time. Guess what? Only you can prevent that from happening. Leave your computers and PDAs and turn off those cell phones, or at least don't answer the cell phone if it's a colleague. The matter of your health is at stake. Believe me your health is more important than anything. Let go of worldly matters, seek the divine love towards your body, mind and soul.
Riding ourselves of the muck and mire of our work and home life is very beneficial to our body, mind and soul. However, the other outstanding byproduct is the emergence of a person who can easily see things from a different perspective; one that is fresh and clear minded. Others will become aware of the importance of having a respite or an interval from the stresses of life. They will become healthier. With each person who becomes healthier the world becomes more peaceful. Peaceful is not overrated, and the world needs each of us to be in and share that peace.
Carrie Fleharty by day is a mild mannered school librarian, but at night she's become a successful author. She is now a practicing Personal Life Coach. She enjoys helping people become successful in any endeavor that they feel is important to them. She enjoys and embraces change and sees it as a way to improve herself. She intends to keep improving her life, and keeps challenging herself to become a better person. She thoroughly enjoys expressing herself through the written word. And has written two books "Changes and Shifts: a Personal Journey" and "A Poet's Mind and Soul."
Her soul ignites through spiritual fire. She understands that the right spark can take a person to new meanings and new beginnings through a deeper sense of self. She is a seeker; she seeks Truth, the Devine, Spirituality, and Love. She believes that a spark will flame up to spread Truth. This Truth will be made known to all who seek.
After all "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." A Return to Love: Reflections on a Course in Miracles by Marianne Williamson. Sometimes all it takes is a helping hand. I will be that helping hand in either personal, spiritual, health and wellness or being a mentor.