The Back-from-Vacation-Blues

Mr. Bleu and I had an absolutely lovelier than usual weekend retreat this year.  The weather was not too hot or too cold, and not a cloud in the sky except for the perfect rainy slow drive home.  We explored places we never get to go, had fabulous meals including a chocolate ganache cheesecake which I didn't share and don't regret.  

We took long walks hand-in-hand and had long quiet talks on the veranda of our hotel room as we ate dinner or watched the evening roll across the hills.  One evening, I went to bed at 8:00 p.m. and slept nine blissful hours, just because I could and I wanted to.  It was everything I want my vacations to be.

Reality hit with the phone call from home as were driving back.  All the cares, all the worries, all the problems, still waiting on us and slightly more urgent than before because we'd chosen to ignore them for a few days.  I'm not ashamed to say that setting foot in a house that was dirtier than before I left, and chores that were piling up, I immediately felt downhearted, asking myself, What's the point of going away if there's even more stress waiting on me when I get back?

The point, of course, is that there will always be stressors, always be work and toil and problems.  And every now and then they can just bloody wait.  Relaxation is critical so that we can continue to approach the problems life guarantees us with fresh energy and calmed perspective.

I took an extra day of vacation on the day following our return.  I initially intended to use this day to clean the house, take care of the chores, etc.  But, as I looked around at all the messes, it occurred to me that they would still be there tomorrow and perhaps what I needed most was a hot cup of tea, a chat with a good friend, and a midday nap.  So, that's what I did.

Oh, yes, I managed to knock-out a few things on that ever-present to-do list, like vacuuming, making beds, and dehydrating some of the apple slices to keep us snacking all throughout the winter.  But everything else?  It will all be there on my next day off, so why rush?

Perhaps the very best souvenir I can bring back with me from vacation is the intention to live a little slower for a while, to keep in mind that things have to be done, but not all at once, and not all today.  I can afford to spread them out so that my days are a pleasant mix of work and relaxation, of purpose and repose.

Life is nothing if not a balancing act after all.  As much as we always wish we could stay on vacation forever, and as sad as I sometimes am to return to the chore of living and working, I recognize that we need our times of rest just as much as we need our work.  too much rest and I would lose my direction in life; too much work and I would lose my joy.  So, I accept the work that will be waiting on me as part for the course, and carry on, finding ways to enjoy each day and feel refreshed as often as possible until I'm able to "get away from it all" again.

Shopping Info:  Dear Creatures Dress from Poshmark, Shoes from ThredUp, Ecosusi Bag from Poshmark, Knit Sweater in Camel-$20.50 by YeMak.