Weekday getaways

Igot ‘kidnapped’ from work last Thursday. I was a willing victim actually, and welcomed the unexpected turn of events because I wanted the break from my usual routine. It was such a blessing to be given the opportunity to chill in the middle of a busy day during a crazy week! I’ve been wanting to get away from my daily grind so the unplanned trip was pure bliss. You know how it is for us who need to make a living, vacations (mini or otherwise) can easily take the backseat right?

I know for a fact that for us working people, these welcomed breaks are hard to take because our ‘better’ judgement usually dictates that we should be working and not having fun on a weekday. Parang student lang na kelangan nasa school.

All of us have duties and responsibilities we must do and that’s a given. Life is a rat race yes, but we should know when to disengage so that we’ll. have time to actually see, touch and smell the flowers. Earning our keep is great but we also need to constantly renew and enrich our soul by allowing ourselves some ‘me’ time.

So I grabbed the opportunity. Besides, I’ve been wanting to go to the Malagos Chocolate Museum for a long time. The timing was perfect although I was dilly-dallying for awhile as I had previously planned to paint that afternoon.

Let me just say that it was time well spent away from painting. The Chocolate Museum does not disappoint! In fact it would be a nice family activity, most especially if you happen to love chocolate! The Museum is engaging as it caters to everyone, young and old. The best thing about it is that you have the option to try your hand at making your own chocolate candies! It is definitely worth the trip!

Giving up my clinic time that Thursday gave me the rest that I needed. Although I was not able to paint that afternoon (which I look forward to every weekend because it is ‘me’ time), I actually gained more than being able to relax exactly when I needed it. It gave me time to try and learn new things, meet new people and best of all, spend precious time with friends that has somewhat become a formidable task to achieve. We adults don’t get to do it as often as we want because of priorities. Hmmm.

Weekday getaways are fun. Being able to do it once in awhile, most especially during a terribly busy week, allows me to recharge so that I am bet- ter equipped to face more challenges as my week progresses. Others may think that it is an unnecessary indulgence (especially when you need to get a lot of things done) but to me it is a necessity. It’s one of those things that you do to save yourself from a possible meltdown! Somehow being able to enjoy some time off despite a busy schedule allows me to release stress so I can return to work with less distraction and a clearer mind. More ready to face more challenges. We all need that. You know we do! Of course we can’t do it all the time but wouldn’t it feel good to know that you can do so at the time you need it the most? Sometimes a break is all we need to make things better! Life can challenge us to the point where we start thinking of giving up. Stress can take an ugly toll on any person, no matter how calm or seasoned he may be in surviving the rise and fall of life’s tides. We all find ways to relieve ourselves of it and rightfully we should make every effort to do so. In the end, we gain more from it. In my case, consciously being able to walk away from my busy schedule confers upon me that sense of control that I feel I need to regain when I am besieged with work and neck deep or almost drowning from all sorts of problems.

We should all learn to disengage and give ourselves the chance to indulge in some time to catch our breath. We really need to find that balance between work and self because it is good for us and good for the soul, too.

The Malagos trip may be short but now it feels like I had reset my stress button and am ready to go face all my challenges at full throttle! It feels good to be able to take that break that you know you deserve.

At the end of the day it not only allows you to relax but also renews faith and confidence in yourself and in your capabilities! So, go ahead, enjoy and take that weekday getaway! Happy Sunday Everyone!!