For the better part of 30 years I had always wanted to go camping in the Fall. Late Friday afternoon, I did the unthinkable and packed my car and headed out with a crazy bunch I like to call “me, myself and I”
Mother nature was particularly moody that evening and decided to add some cold, some rain and just for the hell of it, lots of wind.
Although I was able to get my camp set up, it was way too crappy out to cook and I soon found myself in a survival situation. It was now 15 minutes past my dinner time and I was fading fast. Luckily, I remembered something Bear Grylles always talks about “know your surroundings” I was able to regain my wits (now 18 minutes beyond my dinner time) by remembering that there were roads that led into this campground and Son of a gun, where there are roads in NY there is an Italian Restaurant every 50 feet!
I’m not proud of this next part but you do what you have to do when in a survival situation. I dined on some kind of chicken dish with lots of syllables that ended in a vowel. I feel bad for the Italian American who gave up a portion of their Friday night to make sure I ate, but that’s what we do when we’re on the trail. I will thank you now for respecting the fact that I never again want to speak of what I had to do to survive on that cold Long Island evening!
The rest of my “me-cation” consisted of hiking, thinking, reminiscing, writing and the occasional “Uncle Paul shall we listen to the entire Blizzard of Oz album or do you prefer the Ozzmosis album”? Not being one to fight I simply replied “Whatever you want Uncle Paul, I picked last time”. I even thought of going into that whole Austin Powers thing when he says: “Look at us. We’re a couple of sexy bitches” but quite frankly, that’s kind of a F’d up thing to do alone in a tent!
For 2 evenings I wasn’t anyone’s son
I wasn’t anyone’s husband
Dad
Brother or friend.
I was Paul Castain and it was cool!
It was also an item on my bucket list that has been there for 30 years!
Taking care of “me” is really important folks and it isn’t just about taking full blown “me-cations”
How about a “Mini Me-Cation”?
A thermos of your favorite coffee and a trip to the park
Watch a sunrise or sunset or say screw it and do both
Going to the movies by yourself
A walk
Sit quietly with your thoughts
There’s even the ultimate in “Mini Me-Cations” and your boss will kill me for this one!
Presenting . . .
The “What The Hell Day”
I was first introduced to the “What the hell day” while studying at one of Long Island’s prestigious community colleges. My professor told us that at least once a year we should get up and start to get ready for work. Look out the window, then at our watch and then say “What the hell” and take a sick day!
Take that day and do something spontaneous for “me” and then embrace it with a certain Ferris Buelleresque gusto!
Note: Obviously you wouldn’t do this while knee deep in a project or when people are depending on you that day. You obviously wouldn’t do this regularly . . . but some spontaneous, harmless fun is good for the soul! 🙂
A few caveats about “Me-Cations” and “Mini Me-Cations”:
Life is a team sport. My suggestions here are to have us return to the team a more fully locked and loaded “me”
Taking care of “me” helps you to take care of others
You can’t include others when taking a “Me-Cation” then it becomes “Us-cation” Try telling someone you just had an “us-cation” and they immediately confuse it for some kind of new STD and will give you a once over in search of open soars.
Thank you for listening to my little tale about “me” . . . the real story begins as soon as you are able to create your very own excellent adventure!
Please consider that one today and know that you are deserving of this special time!
Oh and I understand that you don’t have the time but I have this crazy belief that since we are always willing to let others take our time . . . we need to give ourselves the same respect and schedule that “me” time.
