In my previous, child-free life, summer was a time for intense playing. Maybe a trip overseas or across the country to a beach somewhere; definitely out of town every weekend. But now that we have to buy three airplane tickets and flying has become such a hassle, we are looking for other options. Besides, what is good for the bank account is good for the planet – in this case lessening the demand for jet fuel. We make a lot of decisions based on saving money, and it makes me feel good that they usually translate into conserving the earth’s resources as well.
This year I knew that if I wanted to feel good in the fall about How I Spent My Summer Vacation, I had to do some creative thinking up front. Whatever I came up with also had to address the question, “What is summer vacation for?”
The answer seems obvious: to decompress from the stress of daily living in the modern world. And if that’s the case, then it really doesn’t make sense to spend money we don’t have so we can stand in long security lines with a toddler, followed by desperately trying to get her to stay seated for several hours, only to disrupt her sleep schedule for a week before we fly home. It’s hardly an unstressful scenario.
What does make sense is coming up with low-cost, low-impact, low-stress ideas based on the Ten Essentials from last week’s post. You can do all of the following by staying at home, either on a week-long “staycation” or on a regular basis throughout the whole summer. Plus you will reap rewards far beyond those of a typical vacation, some that will stay with you for a long time.
- Develop a deeper connection to your natural surroundings. Take time to explore the parks, trails, waterways, and other undeveloped spaces where you live. You can do this by hiking, biking, picnicking, fishing, boating, bird watching, gardening, walking your dog, stargazing, camping, or anything else that interests you that can be done outdoors.
- Make creating or strengthening your spiritual practice the focus of your vacation. If you already go to church, become more involved. If you don’t go, start. If you prefer to meditate, chant, pray quietly by yourself, or read spiritual texts, make it a daily ritual. Maybe do some of it outside in Nature’s cathedrals.
- Use your vacation to show the people you love how much they mean to you. Call your grandparents. Take an interest in your children’s hobbies. Do something special for your spouse. Make yourself available to your friends. We all seem to get caught up in our busy lives: this summer slow down enough to appreciate all the people in your life who mean something to you.
- Ask yourself what hobby you have always wanted to pursue but have never had time for; then make time over the summer. Take an art class, join a singing group, learn to dance, make a quilt, recite your poetry at open mike night, audition for a play, build a birdhouse, take up tai chi, develop your cooking skills, try your hand at canoeing. Take a class or find other people with a similar interest. Whatever you choose to do, if you do it regularly for your vacation or the whole summer, it may become a habit you will continue afterward, or it may even turn into a new career.
- Grow some of your own food. Plant a garden, some container pots of tomatoes, or herbs on your windowsill. Learn how to keep bees or raise chickens. Or find the closest farmer’s market and buy fresh, wholesome food there every week. This is another way to deepen your connection to the earth, and you will eat more healthfully as well.
- Spend your vacation at home with no plans at all. It’s the ultimate low-stress, no-cost, environmentally-friendly option of all.
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