On February 16th I completed my 78th year on the planet. At this point I have officially lived to a greater age than any of my known male ancestors. It feels significant to me, probably because I had my doubts that I would reach this age. Within my extended family - uncles, cousins, and such - it has no significance because several have lived longer, some are still alive. Anyway, it's a 'personal best' so Happy Birthday to ME!
We have begun a tradition; for five of the last seven years we've vacationed in Cedar Key, Florida for a couple weeks leading up to or including, my birthday. I'm not sure how many iterations of an event are needed to qualify as a tradition but I'm declaring our Cedar Key vacations traditional.
Let's chat a bit about vacation, the word, not the actual event. It appears that we Americans have some confusion with term. For example what does the phrase "working vacation" mean? It is surely an oxymoron. Vacation is what one engages in to escape work for a time. Another word that tumbles into our American version of vacation is activity. 'Vacation' and 'activity' are mutually exclusive terms in my lexicon.
To me a vacation is a time of rest and relaxation, of sleeping in, of meandering when the mood strikes, of watching an osprey high in a pine, breakfasting on a mullet, of typing words on a screen, of just being in the moment. An activitie requires planning, demands that one spend time or money or both, is in some way scheduled: either because it is organized around the presence of a particular person or thing, or because it involves connecting with one or more other people.
In simplest terms, vacation is a being thing, while activity is a doing thing.
Until next time, Namaste.
We have begun a tradition; for five of the last seven years we've vacationed in Cedar Key, Florida for a couple weeks leading up to or including, my birthday. I'm not sure how many iterations of an event are needed to qualify as a tradition but I'm declaring our Cedar Key vacations traditional.
Let's chat a bit about vacation, the word, not the actual event. It appears that we Americans have some confusion with term. For example what does the phrase "working vacation" mean? It is surely an oxymoron. Vacation is what one engages in to escape work for a time. Another word that tumbles into our American version of vacation is activity. 'Vacation' and 'activity' are mutually exclusive terms in my lexicon.
To me a vacation is a time of rest and relaxation, of sleeping in, of meandering when the mood strikes, of watching an osprey high in a pine, breakfasting on a mullet, of typing words on a screen, of just being in the moment. An activitie requires planning, demands that one spend time or money or both, is in some way scheduled: either because it is organized around the presence of a particular person or thing, or because it involves connecting with one or more other people.
In simplest terms, vacation is a being thing, while activity is a doing thing.
Until next time, Namaste.
Happy belated bday old timer ; )
ReplyDeleteI have to agree. Taking a laptop on a vacation, or spending endless hours on phone calls is not rest. I know it's a cliche to reference the dictionary, but there is clarity and support for your blog in Miriam Webster's definition:
ReplyDelete1: a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation
2a: a scheduled period during which activity (as of a court or school) is suspended
b: a period of exemption from work granted to an employee
3: a respite or a time of respite from something : INTERMISSION
4: an act or an instance of vacating