A Day Off!

Yes kids, your fearless blogger friend had the first of his several vacation days that he needs to "use or lose" by the end of 2010. Doesn't happen often, I assure you. And yes, there were still a few phone calls related to work that I needed to take. But darn it, I just needed today.

I'm one of those rare people who actually needs a little bit of down time, also known as "alone time," to stay sane. I mean taking the better part of a day with no human contact, watching TV, surfing the net, or reading. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being social, and the joys of conversing with old friends or meeting new people has become quite a luxury as well. But my lady and I have been living a lifestyle that I affectionately refer to as, "Gotta Go Here, Gotta Go There."

There's always some obligation to fulfill, whether it's related to work, family, home, or holidays. It's getting so life simply doesn't slow down when we'd like it to do so the most. Just once in a blue moon, I need time when that's not pressing on me. I know from experience that when I have that type of time, I'm far more relaxed and easygoing, much more clear-headed, and significantly less likely to blow a gasket over any little thing that happens!

Also, there is a small degree of anxiety that's been developing inside me. I have a great job, a great wife, a great place to live, a loving and encouraging extended family, and an AWESOME group of friends, who recently re-painted a house that holds special memories for me. But there is always the feeling that my life could take an unexpected turn. And when there's no time to think this over and discover my own answers, the anxiety grows. When I do have the aforementioned down time to take a good, hard look at myself and my life, the perception seems much less dire.

I wish I had much more time to this . . . I used to be someone who enjoyed long periods of introspection. Jews are always encouraged to do this during the High Holy Days -- do you know anyone who does, though? I've yet to see anyone who meditates, or concentrates, or focuses on their actions and directions during services (I do, however, have fond memories of my mother and grandmother sitting on both sides of me at temple and both leaning over me to talk, thus blocking me from reading the Machzor (prayer book), LOL). In order for me to do that, I'd simply have to be alone - and since our faith encourages community and interaction more than it does solitude, it's a bit more difficult for me to "look inside."

But anytime you have a day off, that's the time to do it. I'd suggest a period of about six to eight hours to just be alone -- it's not only good for authors (and bloggers), but it's such a great way to re-charge! A breather, a break, a chance only to be, and not to do! Days like these are like gold to me.

Now all the moms and dads reading this are thinking (and hopefully preparing to comment) that it's just not possible, and that when you bring children into this world, your alone time will not come back until retirement. I'd respond with the words of Rick Pitino, "Don't tell me you don't have the time. Make the time!" My oldest and most-respected friend, who shares my name, is a father of two who has extended family reside in his house -- yet he still manages to have his alone time -- maybe he can't swing the 6 to 8 hours, but he has a house rule that for 1 or 2 hours every day, nobody can bother him. It's sort of like a father from the '50s who needed to put up his feet and read the paper when he got home from work -- I dare say that works too! If you can't do one day a week, do an hour a day! Anything just to avoid going off the deep end, for real!

We sure need some down time -- I know we'll both have it soon when we visit our parents and grandparents in Florida for Thanksgiving. But I really wish we could have more of this every week. Back during my MySpace days, I quoted from passages in Leviticus that laid the basic framework for a Sabbath day before it was codified in the Ten Commandments. I extolled the virtues of having a day off, and a good friend of mine would comment, lamenting how some people simply can't afford one. Obviously a crying shame, but we should all try to just make some time like my oldest friend does -- if not a day of rest, then several hours of rest spread out over several days might do the trick! How do you think I got energized enough to write this post?

Oh well -- feel free to comment, people -- tomorrow, it's back to the grind for one day, and then the weekend!