Vacation…Time for Happy

All good things must come to an end.

Why?

Who decided that?

The poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to say it in 1374. (It’s a good thing that he also wrote the classic book, The Canterbury Tales. Those stories are certainly brighter than his all good things statement.)

That statement kept circling in my mind at the end of our vacation earlier this week.
Boy. It’s tough to get back to the daily normal after days filled with lots of sunshine, naps, good food, longer walks, more time on the porch, more good books, limited scheduling, and more flexible days.

My daily normal includes sharing caregiving responsibilities for my mom with my sisters, at her apartment, 24/7. So being at home with Steve for a whole week was very unusual, and definitely My Happiest Place.

The thought of vacation coming to an end started to dampen my spirits before it became a reality. Like on day two.  Vacation was for a set number of days. And there was such a finality to that time…like I had to capture every moment of summer fun in those seven vacation days.

Then it dawned on me…
Why does vacation need to be defined by a week? Or several days?
Why can’t we vaca for just a day?

So Steve and I made a decision.
For the rest of this summer, anytime I’m home, we’re calling it a vacation.
If it’s for a full day and night…we’re calling it a vacation.
If it’s for a couple days in a row… we’re calling it a vacation.
If it’s for an afternoon… we’re calling it a vacation.

Of course, I may need to take care of responsibilities at home during some of those vacation sprints, but by simply changing how I name that time, it changes how I feel about that time.

Try it!
I’m going on vacation! To the DQ for a chocolate dipped cone!
I’m going on vacation! Walking around Como Lake!
I’m going on vacation! Reading for an hour on the porch!

Saying that I am Going on vacation feels different than I’m taking a break from work or responsibilities.

Create the time for fun.
For dropping everything and getting away.
For taking a 2-hour vacation.

Like Caribou says…
Make time for happy.

Call it vacation.

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