It’s the weekend! Yeah! Just you and…running the kids to soccer games…grocery shopping…perhaps painting the bedroom…gardening…whoa….What happened to weekends off? Not this weekend, you say, with a five-page to-do list in your right hand and a dirty load of laundry…you know the load you were going to wash on Wednesday…in your left hand.
Okay, so I’ll let you off the hook for taking the entire day off. As a competent, mature adult, now and then you do have to play catch-up with responsibilities. However, that does not mean you can’t alleviate a bit of the chore list with a day trip catch-up, too.
Day trip catch-up? Absolutely. For instance, if you are running errands and live by the water, simply drive by and give yourself a minute of breathing room. Better yet, pull over—still in your car—and take in the sights, even for a few minutes (but don’t blame me if you end up there for a much longer time than anticipated—that’s a good thing).
If you do not have access to a car, take a longer bus route home and keep your mind keen on the new sightings, perhaps a new restaurant in the neighborhood, or do a few added minutes of people-watching. Consider, too, instead of eating lunch at home, noshing outside at a nearby park or inside a mall if it is raining.
This weekend, amid the chores, the obligations and the commitments, detach—even for a few minutes—by playing day-trip catch up. It’s a fun game that will likely give you a refreshing perspective, maybe put a smile on your face and certainly help you rejigger.*
NOTE: All images were taken at Blueberry Hill Inn, Goshen, VT
- * “Quietly but noticeably over the past year, Americans have rejiggered their lives to elevate experiences over things. Because of the Great Recession, a recent New York Times/CBS News poll has found, nearly half of Americans said they were spending less time buying nonessentials, and more than half are spending less money in stores and online,” In Recession, Americans Doing More, Buying Less; NYT, January 2, 2010.
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June 14, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Linda Samuels
Love this post! And oh how I relate to it. It’s amazing our long lists of to dos can be the excuse for NOT taking the much needed time to just enjoy what’s around us (be it the ones we love or nature’s beauty.) You’ve encouraged us to find the moments in a doable, realistic way even with all of our responsibilities. Thank you for the wise words.