VACATIONS & STAYCATIONS

       

 

   I recently returned from a trip to Gettysburg National Park in Pennsylvania. While I visited a number of times previously, I never tire of the landscape nor history.  

Those who sacrificed their lives lie in graves marked with a number or "unknown," due to lack of dog tags in that time period. The cemetery is also the spot where Lincoln gave his immortalized address. I find it ironic that several cannon are posed around the graveyard. 

There are more monuments than I have ever seen; overdone a bit, in my opinion. However, those who had them erected to honor their fallen would no doubt, disagree.     

The town is filled with learning opportunities in many venues. This time, I did not go into one museum, but spent the better part of the day navigating the battlefield with the map provided by the National Parks. It did not cost me a cent, save for the expensive gas for my car! This enabled me to spend as much, or as little time at each locale for contemplation, appreciation and photography. 

Photo ops are abundant! 

       Some may think it sacrilege to have used my cap in such a frivolous way, but that is how I feel about the wars and rumors of wars.  

A tragic joke on humanity!

However, when I saw these tourist vehicles, I was astounded. They looked very out of place, more like they should have been in an amusement park!

                                                                                   The battle was one of the worst in our nation's          history.  In spite of that, the battlefield is now serene.                                                                           The surrounding rolling hills and winding   roads make it a challenge to drive.  Is that not   one of the points of vacations? That we might   experience different activities than those we have on a daily basis?                                                                                             

    Some Americans are reluctant to use vacation time. Many take along their laptops and check in at the office, even while on a break.  However, vacation time was put into work schedules for a reason. Workers often return to their jobs refreshed and renewed.

    |The recent pandemic taxed the tourist industry. Some  have not yet rebounded. Being confined and limited to our usual forms of diversion, spending time outdoors and experimenting with different ways to play, has been a necessity. 

     I did a bit of research about the benefit of vacationing. From the website: www.allina health.org I obtained the following:

Seven health benefits of taking a vacation

Studies have shown that taking time away from the job can have physical and mental health benefits. People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals. If you still need a little convincing, here is a list of some of the additional benefits of taking time away from work. 

1. Improved physical health

Stress can contribute to heart disease and high blood pressure. For both men and women, the New York Times reported, taking a vacation every two years compared to every six will lessen the risk of coronary heart disease or heart attacks.

                2. Improved mental health

Neuroscientists have found that chronic exposure to stress can alter your brain structure and bring on anxiety and depression. When you take a vacation, feelings of calm arise and relieve stress, which allows the body and mind to heal in ways that it couldn't if it were still under pressure.

3. Greater well-being

According to a Gallup study, people who "always make time for regular trips" had a 68.4 score on the Gallup-Heathway's Well-Being Index, in comparison to a 51.4 Well-Being score for less frequent travelers. One study found that three days after vacation, subjects' physical complaints, quality of sleep, and mood had improved compared to before vacation. These gains were still present five weeks later, especially in those who had more personal time and overall satisfaction during their vacation.

4. Increased mental motivation

Many who return from vacation are more focused and productive. Studies have found that chronic stress can make it difficult to achieve certain tasks and cause memory problems. Taking time off can be like getting a tune-up for the brain, improving your mental health and cognition.

5. Improved family relationships

Spending time enjoying life with loved ones can keep relationships strong. A study by the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services found that women who took vacations were more satisfied with their marriages.

6. Decreased burnout

Employees who take regular time to relax are less likely to experience burnout, making them more creative and productive than their overworked, under-rested counterparts. Another way to manage burnout is through the Oxygen Mask Rule: "Secure your masks before assisting others." In other words, address your mental, physical and spiritual needs before committing to responsibilities benefitting others outside of your immediate family.

7. Boosted happiness

Research shows planning a vacation can boost your happiness. Some people experience an elevated mood up to eight weeks before the trip. 

The bottom line is, take a vacation if you can. When you take time away from the stresses of work and daily life, it can improve our physical and mental health, motivation, relationships, job performance and perspective. A vacation can help you feel refreshed and more prepared to handle whatever comes when you return.

 When our son was younger, vacations had to include time spent at an amusement park, or it was no vacation for him.      

    I love to sail on cruises and to spend time at the seashore.  Some people love intercontinental travel, or camping.   All of those experiences are easy to include photography.  Capture the memory. Remember that trip to.....when you/I/we.....  We see things we may never see again. Even familiar territory like the Gettysburg Battlefield can be recorded in numerous ways at different times of day, different weather, different seasons. Each of these variables will provide different perspectives and interpretations of the same place.

While the Covid pandemic wrecked havoc in our lives, I think some good things came from it.  Staycation is now part of our vocabulary.  Probably, many would not think that staying at home or nearby could be a vacation.  However, visiting parks or other out door places in our neighborhoods provide respite from the mundane of our taxing daily lives.

Even though I am retired, I still like time away from home. The change of pace, varied surroundings and activities foster my creativity and provide rest from the routine of being a care giver.

Whatever your paradise, take time to go! Bring back pictures that you can show to others to tell of your travels. Record them for your memory's sake, or for your family. Children become independent and have their own vacations, but we can look back together and recall the fun times we shared. There is little reason each of you can not do the same.