Remember the Chicago song “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” in which the lyrics “everybody needs a little time away” and “even lovers need a holiday” appear? These lines have stuck with me through the decades as a reminder that no matter how much we love someone or enjoy their company, sometimes we need time away. Whether it is family or friends, we can all benefit from time away from each other which can make time together again so much sweeter.
Time away can be as simple as a dinner out rather than at home. Time away can be as complex as a multi-month and multi-location set of travels on your own or with a friend/partner/spouse. Time away can be a day-trip to visit someplace new. For instance the Tibetan Prayer Wheel in the photo was an October day-trip to the Sawtooth Botanical Garden which is home to one of two such prayer wheels in the United States – right here in Idaho.
For some of us, reading a good book is time away from our daily lives. For others, a movie, sports participation or spectatorship, performance attendance, museum visits, cooking class, or activities in town are a break that provides time away from the routines that can bog us down and wear us out.
Time away provides a re-boot of our energies and creativity. Yes, time away can mean loads of laundry and challenges when we get home. However, the time away has hopefully given us new perspective and energy for dealing with the daily grind of our lives.
Time away from work and our homes may or may not include family visits. For some, a family visit adds stress to life. For others, family time is preferred. Which of your family members would you include in a time away trip?
Sometimes a work trip provides much needed time away from home and the daily challenges it may bring. Whenever traveling for work, I try to drive in the community I’m visiting or take in a museum or gallery. I want to know that I’ve left home and the hotel when I travel. Taking in something from the community becomes a time away from work and home experience that I enjoy.
What time away are you planning? What time away can you plan? Will you go alone? Or, who will get to go with you? Choose carefully so that your time away is energizing and refreshing.
Nesting is about the objects and experiences that create a sense of home. Without home, it is difficult to maintain health, find joy, or to be productive. Enjoy the Nesting series of blogs on your search for and creation of a deep sense of home. –Jana
Jana Kemp
