The best part of a vacation is the time leading up to it; the anticipation, the planning, the overall excitement. As the time draws closer, the mind begins to slip into that state of relaxation. Then it happens and it is over, faster than we would have liked. How to slow it down is a lesson that came to me just three days ago.
Two consecutive days slipped clandestinely onto my calendar. They were conjoined twins; no work, no school, no plans, errands, or official state visits. They came in the dead of night, quietly under my nose. My calendar made no reference to this pregnancy, and I’ll admit I hadn’t really noticed. I had been a terrible child to my calendar; glancing at her from time to time, to answer the question on what hour I should report to work or when my next exam would be. Then on Sunday evening—just before I slipped between the sheets—she announced I would have Monday and Tuesday free of any obligation.
I woke up the next day without an alarm. I kept my pajamas on and stepped into the living room with a yawn that could have woken the dead. Thankfully, I don’t live near a cemetery. I asked myself what I should do on this mini-vacation. Two consecutive days off of my calendar would not be termed anything else. I had a list of books that I wanted to read and one in particular on loan so I decided to start with it.
I read all day, stopping from time to time to eat a sandwich or take a nap. I lounged quietly in my living room, escaping into the realm of the book. The hours moved slowly as I read page after page. I was captured by this singular activity, this moment of escape. And I believe this was possible for two reasons: the freedom from my calendar and the thought I would do the same thing tomorrow.
On my second day, I realized that the mind moves slowly when it is engaged with the moment. It changes time from a linear movement to a singular event. The way it captures this singularity is with time of its own to focus. Now I understand that a vacation need not be somewhere distant. All I need to do is clear the time, clear the sofa, and realize the moment.
