This is the time of the year when office people get those sweet little “free days”, Christmas and New Year. This year, they’re a week apart, and both fall on a Thursday. Honestly, I’m happy about it, but a part of me still wishes they landed on a Monday instead. Imagine that, two consecutive long weekends, back to back. That would’ve been pure joy.
But well, that’s just wishful thinking.
Still, I’m choosing to appreciate what I do get. A Thursday holiday has its own charm. It breaks the week in half, gives you breathing space, and makes Friday feel lighter. It’s like your calendar is quietly telling you, “Hey, you’ve been doing a lot, pause a bit.”
And I really need that pause.
Lately, I’ve been working hard, the kind of hard that doesn’t always show on the outside, but you feel it in your head and shoulders when you finally sit down at night. I do like my work, I really do. But even when you enjoy something, it can still drain you. Enjoyment doesn’t cancel exhaustion.
That’s why rest isn’t a reward for finishing everything. Rest is part of how you survive everything.
I love this reminder from John Lubbock, “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass… is by no means a waste of time.”
So yes, give me those two Thursdays. I’ll take them gratefully, and I’ll use them the way they’re meant to be used, to recover.
Here’s to slowing down, even briefly, and allowing ourselves to recharge before stepping into another year.
Link to the source of the image.