Okay, I admit it. As I get older, my tolerance for the typically cold, dark days of Cleveland’s winters is getting thin. My body simply craves sunshine. That’s why those who know me well will sometimes catch me this time of the year stopping in mid-sentence and rotating my face like a solar panel to track the rare glimpses of unobstructed sunshine. This automated response is usually followed almost instantaneously by a zen-like look of peacefulness and bliss as my brain is flooded with serotonin.
And that’s also why I’m sending in this newsletter from an undisclosed location (for security reasons) where the forecast for the day is a mild 72 degrees and sunny. The thought of being in the minus 2 degrees that Cleveland is experiencing right now is about as appealing as eating week old sushi. This is the second year our family has migrated south for the holiday break and our kids, Ryan and Olivia, were looking forward to it just as much as Kim and I were. What they were looking forward to just as much as (if not more than) the sunshine, is the almost unfettered access to mom’s and dad’s attention.
During most of the year, we get so into our work routines and “have to” tasks and activities that it’s easy to lose that sense of just being with each other without an agenda. And that, at least for me, is the true beauty of vacations. Giving yourself time to just be. Time to read, write, observe, smile, ponder, explore, daydream, nap, wrestle on the floor and eat ice cream. Time to drink a second glass of wine, take a casual walk, reflect on the past, imagine for the future, and just be lazy in the present. These things just seem easier to do when I’m geographically removed from my normal world of projects, proposals, deadlines, board meetings, and homework help. And evidently, I’m not alone. Al Gini’s 2006 best seller, The Importance of Being Lazy, is still one of Amazon.com’s more popular titles.
So, in the spirit of a truly restful holiday, I offer my final suggestion for the year. Go somewhere. Anywhere (except visiting relatives!). Whether it’s with your kids, your significant other, or just by yourself, make a plan to go somewhere at least two hours away from home and just “be” for a day or two. It needn’t be expensive (check out Priceline.com for some great hotel deals), just far enough away to allow yourself to detach from the umbilical cord of task and structure and reconnect with yourself and your family. After a crazy 2008, you’ve earned it.
From the Meshanko family to yours, have a wonderful holiday season!
