I always find myself overthinking vacations. The fact the you are supposed to rest and recharge…
Being a mom (unless you are super wealthy) going on vacation just means that you get to do all your chores at another venue. Washing, doing dishes, bedding, sweeping, cooking and more.
A few days into our latest breakaway, my husband looked at me and ask whether I am enjoying myself and whether I am ‘resting’. For a brief moment I felt worried. In the sense that time is passing by and I might not be enjoying/resting enough, and that I will look back in regret. So, I gave the answer some thought.
The meaning of rest in the dictionary and the ‘rest’ I was feeling is quite different from each other. We fall into the trap of thinking that rest is the synonym for doing nothing. For reading books and sipping on Pina coladas, ALL DAY LONG. Although this sound very nice, it is not a picture of reality (or at least not in my world).
Recharging is not only the absence of work and tasks. I gained so much ‘battery life’ just by breaking routine. Losing track of the calendar. Just staring into the ocean blue and allowing it give me peace in return for my time. Cooking dinner on a fire without fancy add-ons. Eating from my lap in the moon light under a ceiling of stars. Applying sunscreen to little faces without thinking “we’re freaking late again!”.
I read a quote that says: ‘The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been and the memories we made on our way.’ Making memories and loving people provides ‘rest’. Dwelling in ‘no signal’ areas provides ‘rest’. Running into the waves, holding little hands provides ‘rest’. Sharing sun rays on the beach with a dear friend provides ‘rest’. This is the type of rest that allows us to reset, realign and regather.
May you find your ‘rest’. May you have the courage to embrace it. And may you have a tiny bit of this in every single ordinary day. Because that is what keeps us going in the in-between periods of hard work, before we get to embark on the next adventure.
Love,
Maggy