So Governor Healey takes a few personal days away. So what?

Re “Healey says family trips are private” (Page A1, March

19): Regarding all the questions surrounding first Kate Middleton and now our own governor, Maura Healey: Good grief, could we all just stop obsessing about the whereabouts of public figures? When we elect government officials, we do not get 24-hour access to their personal lives any more than corporations gain entry into the personal lives of their top executives. Public service is hard enough — satisfying expectations for performance, allocating appropriate resources for services, and trying to meet seemingly endless demands for those services.

Elected officials are increasingly expected to fill every gap, and at its best, government can provide a modicum of care — in public safety, public health, public education, infrastructure, air and water pollution management, and the list goes on.

Our governor is expected of course to manage the Cabinet positions, work with the Legislature on adopting solid, equitable policy, and be well-versed and diligent about making our system work while weighing revenues against expenses. Whew. Pretty exhausting.

We have protocols in place for someone to serve as acting governor when Healey is out of state, and our own Senate president says the governor makes herself available “24/7.” Healey is doing an excellent job. In the name of all that’s holy, let’s cut her a break when she takes a few days for a personal trip. In fact, I’d worry if she didn’t!

MARJORIE CLAPPROOD Mashpee

The writer is a former member of the Legislature, serving as representative for the 8th Norfolk District.