Last Friday I decided to avoid the phone and stay off my computer for the whole weekend. I’d spent too many hours at my desk last week and needed a break. It was the right thing to do.
Today, after two days away, there’s been a windfall. My college roommate called. My friends Annie and Maureen called. My friend Ann who I’ve known longer than anyone else in my life wrote a long email. I hadn’t heard from her in years. And then a high school friend, Sarah, wrote too. Needless to say, I haven’t gotten any work done today, but I’ve been smiling since I woke up.
Over the weekend, while the computer was turned off, Brent and I got sucked into the House of Cards phenomenon on Netflix. We’d watched Season One at a reasonable pace the preceding weeks, but once we got started with Season Two on Saturday morning, it was a marathon. Taking the time for this sort of mindless mini vacation was valuable. I slept long and hard last night. Woke up feeling as good as I’ve felt in years.
It’s gotten me thinking about the history of weekends. Saturdays or Sundays have been Sabbath days for centuries. My guess is that the concept of two days off each week is a modern idea. For me, it’s hard to discern between days off and days at work if email is involved. My personal and professional lives overlap too much with email. The only way I can take a true day off is to stay away from my computer.
Thanks to everyone who bought a CD or sent a donation in response to the fundraising campaign we launched last week. In addition to the long emails and phone calls I’ve had with old friends today, I got a bunch of your gifts this morning. It’s been a really good day. I can’t tell you how much your help lifts my spirits. Not only is the weather outside spring-like, I feel like my own spring is at hand.
Love to you all, Bar