Holidays, Taking Time Off and even Stealing Off-Time

“To get away from one’s working environment is, in a sense, to get away from one’s self; and this is often the chief advantage of travel and change.” – Charles Horton Cooley

The world over vacations and travel were curtailed with lock downs, shut-ins and curfews; most taken in stride, but protested by some in western nations. Time was when some Sri Lankans sneaked off on intra-country holidays while the government or its Covid Task Force decreed we all stay home to curtail infection. With the jabs being given, at least in Colombo and some of its suburbs, strictures have been loosened, travel bans lifted and airports open to incoming tourists.

A nation of holidayers -often cheating

Sri Lankans are prone to lotus-eat, hence they really do not need definite shutting down and vacationing schedules. Entire lives are long vacations to a few, while others snatch off-time even while officially in their jobs. I moved from teaching in a local private school where rules were strict and rightly so, with casual leave frowned upon heavily and the employees themselves cognizant of their responsibilities and duties. So from 7.45 am to 3.00 pm, we really taught, guided our students and attended to all other duties.

I moved from there to a Southern Maha Vidyalaya where teacher attendance was erratic and some even erratic in taking their time-tabled classes. An oft told tale of mine whose horror increases with each telling is how a teacher (the Principal’s wife) would conduct her English lesson with sixth graders in the open space beside the staff room, where she spent the 40 minutes chatting with those having free periods. She set the class off reciting ‘Row, row, row your boat’ which of course came forth loud and clear as ‘Raw, raw, raw your boot’ for a solid thirty minutes, standing all the while. We dared not comment, cowards that we were, even those who saw the torture and sheer waste of time. It’s so easy to see no evil.

Different work ethics

I moved to the oldest and most prestigious international school and was struck by the busyness of the place. I was in the senior library and would hear the steady and fast paced clatter of high heels and men’s shoes as teachers moved briskly hither and thither. Everyone was busy and thus the entire atmosphere was one of no dawdling; no time to waste. The kids of course were another matter. And then on Friday noon it was TGIF for administrators and office staff who worked till 3.00 pm, librarians included. Beer and crunch-munches were available in plenty and happy bonhomie for all, skin colour not one bit considered.

Of course everyone from Headmaster down were on first name terms. Not this conservative who addressed the Head with the attendant Mister. This period of employment taught me one good lesson: work hard and then relax completely, forgetting chores and duties as they had all been done.

Moved to a semi government office and watched the time table of others lower down the hierarchy. Arrive by 9.00, arrange desk with dusting etc as the peon was slack. Then recount bus ride, home problems, the previous evening’s marketing blues. 9.30 breakfasts whipped out – full ones of hodi and stringhoppers et al. The newspapers had to be glanced through and some read. 10.30 work was attended to, stopped sharp at 11.30 – to get ready for the lunch interval. The afternoon was a wee bit less lackadaisical. However, the office had a dedicated though lenient head and thus work of the unit was considered efficient. We higher ranked officers had cubicles. The boss of the institution was meticulously particular about cleanliness and neatness of the surroundings. Hence frequent inspection of drains and backyards. Saw us, the cubicled ones, at 4.20 – just before leaving office – get our make up straight and hair neatened. He had the half wood partitions removed! We sat in open plan; fine for an information centre. We still did our grooming though!

Benefits of time off

I’ve been speaking about off time and stolen time. There are of course set holidays which are a must. This is an accepted human right. Schools have their three vacations; timed differently in local schools and international schools. All professional departments and institutions too have the mandatory vacation leave of generally two weeks. Great stress is placed on annual holidays. Employees are supposed to get away from it all; change of scene alone is relaxing and an aid to recharging batteries. Maybe vacations taken within the country could be better than travel abroad as visa travails, travel worries and much time spent in airports are all obviated. Physical and emotional benefits accrue with vacations and quality time is guaranteed with loved ones.

In the good old days of say the latter part of the 20^th century, when vacations for all became a must, it was more often than not that holidays were with extended family. Thus kids had cousins to play with and plenty aunts to indulge them and more freedom than with parents alone.

My late husband was a thrice a year vacationer, more often than not with my siblings and their families. Most favoured by him, and even us, were holidays in circuit bungalows where you fended for yourself. His vacation began earlier than ours as he loved buying necessary provisions, both solid and liquid! No newspapers were allowed, especially to curtail me, since if an obit notice was seen there would ensue a cry to return home to see the dear departed laid to rest. Discordance could result; so do away with the probable cause: newspapers, radio, TV.

Religious significance

The Holy Bible’s Ecclesiastes 3:1 – 8 pronounces thus on the use of time; including that to be whiled away, to have fun in. Sundays, as we all know, are no-work days.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;…”

To Buddhists the full moon poya day is for breaking away from routine and devoting oneself to paying attention to the mind. We humans spend so much time, energy and money on looking after our bodies while many neglect their minds and mental well being. Equanimity (upekkha) which equates to being unshaken whatever comes to you – good or bad – is the highest blessing. So getting away from routines, according to Buddhism, for short time spells or long, gives both the body and the mind rest; they being completely interdependent. Thus holidays taken offer the advantage of mind attention, mind relaxation. I have averred that meditation retreats with all the inherent strictures of discipline and less comforts have been the most relaxing and rejuvenating and happiness giving too. Why? You have cut yourself away from normal living and the mind attended to for at least four days. Ten are much better.

“Buddhism pursues happiness by using knowledge and practice to achieve mental equanimity. In Buddhism, equanimity, or peace of mind, is achieved by detaching oneself from the cycle of craving that produces dukkha. So by achieving a mental state where you can detach from all the passions, needs and wants of life, you free yourself and achieve a state of transcendent bliss and well-being.”

Thus the benefit of a vacation away from home or even an hour or two of detachment, reflection and single-minded focus of the mind revives the body too.

A saying comes to mind: “What is this life if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare.” It’s the holiday season now: of Easter and the Sinhala and Hindu New Year. Even if Covid 19 or any other impediment prevents the taking off on a holiday, we can very well holiday in our usual surroundings. Just relaxing completely; strolling around while willfully looking up at trees and appreciating the show of multi-hued Araliya and Bougainvillea; exchanging a warm smile; grateful to be alive. This will be a holiday!