By Dorian Martin,
I Start Wondering Founder
Recently, I found a picture of my maternal grandparents’ home. That picture brought back so many memories of summers’ past—of long road trips from Colorado to Missouri as we traversed the wide expanse of Kansas in the family station wagon.
Those weeks of summer vacation at my grandparents’ home were filled with nothing special—and everything wonderful. No scheduled appointments or rigid structure of the school day, which left time to dive into books. No piano lessons or doctor’s appointments, so we were free to make up impromptu games. And as my brother and I chased each other around the yard, I’d find myself stopping in awe to look at the beautiful magnolia tree’s blooms, smell the roses, and watch closely for fireflies in my grandparents’ vegetable garden.
And oh, the food—no fast food for us. Instead, we enjoyed Grandma’s homecooked meals that included freshly picked corn on the cob and green beans, tomatoes plucked off the vine, and cherries that were ready to be pitted for pies (with many ending up in my stomach).
Eventually, boredom emerged with the complete lack of structure, and I was ready to get back-at-it. But I also was replenished in so many ways because of that break.
The Gifts of a Break
Seen through today’s on-the-go culture, those days could seem antiquated, just relics of a past long gone. But should that be the case? And is our overly busy way of being the best way to live a good life—to thrive, instead of just survive?
We can take a lesson from nature, looking to the seasons as our guide. Just looking at a big post tree in my courtyard, I watch cycles play out as leaves bud out, become darker green, and eventually wither in the fall. But while many would bemoan the loss of leaves, that process allows the tree to prepare to regenerate during the winter—and those lost leaves offer sustenance to the flora and fauna below.
As humans, we also are part of nature—and we can embrace the same sorts of rhythms. Sadly, many don’t—and that leads to depression, loneliness, stress, a general sense of ennui—and even worse. We are fortunate that we have machines that make our daily lives better, but ultimately humans are not machines. We have bodies and souls that need tending in ways that our computer, our car, our oven or washing machine do not.
Because of the need for self-care for each of our team members, I Start Wondering is taking a break this summer. We’ve had a lot going on behind the scenes, so a little down time—a fallow period—will help each of us clear our head, reset our constitution, and reset our passions.
We’ll be back—and we encourage you to take some down time this summer, as well. Until then, enjoy some cherries, blossoms and lightning bugs!
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