A vacation is one of the most anticipated periods in our daily lives, a reprieve from the norm. Hard to come by, a challenge to prepare for, and, sadly, often a disappointment. We are familiar with the expression, "Be careful what you wish for- you just might get it.". Frequently, the vacation we pin so many hopes and dreams to fails to deliver the refreshment we crave. Why? Perhaps we build it up so much in our imaginations that the reality cannot possibly hope to match our imaginings. We endeavor to make it too perfect, too planned-out, too full of activity. The best vacations may be those that simply 'happen'. Of course, for there to be any measure of success, a little forethought is wise and necessary: where to go ( "Find what brings you joy and go there."-Jan Phillips), where to sleep, what to eat and how to travel there? These are all questions that need definite answers to make your journey enjoyable. But as for filling every single moment with nonstop activity- why do that to yourself? The point of a vacation is to escape from our hectic daily lives, to NOT do our MUST-do. Leave a little breathing room in your get-away to revel in a sunset, be awestruck by a starry sky, get caught in a rainshower, hold a loved one's hand. See the sights, hear the sounds, smell the scents all around you. Get familiar with the unfamiliar. Zone out. Give your mind a chance to untangle itself from the clamor of daily demands. By doing so, you refresh your ability to generate new ideas, to spark your creativity, or even refresh a tired idea.
"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." -Henry Miller
"Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind" - Seneca
Hm. It sounds like an Introvert went on an Extroverted vacation? (I've been reading the LivingIntroverted blog again.)
ReplyDeleteI totally hear you. When I went to Hawaii and France, I went with Extroverts. They were aghast that I expressed the desire to "just stay in a day or two" and sleep, read, absorb, cook, drink wine, and lay on the beach. Sarah J was the only one who understood what I meant. In Hawaii, it was right after my accident, so I kind of "got my way" by default and got to lay on the beach the whole time. I also told them it wasn't necessary to stay with me so they could go do various activities they wanted (but they didn't desert me.)
Then in France, we stayed in a teeny apartment, with a bad window. It forced me to get out...much to my companion's happiness.
Sigh.
Most of my vacations are largely extroverted. My introvert tendencies are 'trumped' by the extroverts I live with. But I consider sunset and star watching to be more introverted than extroverted activities. I always take a stack of books to read, too. My own little escape plan!
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