Staycation
It's an interesting time of year.
It's the end of the year, but not Our Year. It's the holidays, but our holiday is over. It's vacation, my kids are not usually on vacation.
Although it's not in sync with the Jewish calendar, I believe that any time one has closure is a good time to take a pause and reflect. As I'm teaching in my Mussar classes, self-awareness is a key trait. Reflection makes it possible. Flipping the calendar that we are all on, regardless if it keeps time by our milestones or someone else's, is one of those times.
Every year at this time I try to do some kind of wrap-up on my blog, succinctly summing up my year. It's a good time to look back and reflect; to look forward and resolve. Some years I've gotten quite personal, other years not as much. But this year I don't know if I'll do that. It's a lot of pressure, to sum up one's year in a way that is accurate, meaningful, and shareable. I struggle with that tenuous balance between honesty and TMI.
Also this time of year, since 2009, I collect all my photos (all theoretically saved on google drive) and make a photo book of the year. Some years it gets done in January, other years February. Let's just say last year it happened in June. It's been a very very busy year. And guess what? I need a vacation. So, instead of thoughtfully blogging or dutifully photo-collecting, I'm going to let myself off the hook over vacay.
On December 24th my husband and son are off to Israel. My daughter is off to Colorado and my other daughter, to NY. My two school-aged boys don't have school. My two school-aged girls do. And me? I am going on staycation (I know I still have 4 kids and a dog at home; for me that's vacay). I will not cook dinner - we will have mac 'n cheese and pizza. I am canceling all my classes. I will wear sweats and eat chocolate and read by the fireplace and do yoga.
I guess if I were thoughtfully blogging, I'd call this the Year of Self-Care. Interesting how that phrase didn't even exist when I was a kid, and now my second grader uses it casually when she wants a mani or a Starbucks (vanilla bean frap, no whip). But I have learned that while I am most happy when I am productive, I am most productive when I am happy. And staying happy means stopping the productivity to do things just for me. Things like hanging with friends. Shopping for recreational purposes. Doing things that are not on my list of things to do. This winter break, I plan to do just that.
I plan to not plan.
I am so excited.
Shabbat Shalom,
Ruchi
