Let It BE!

/ roughwighting

let it be, Hawaii vacation, relaxationDo you remember those middle school essays: “What I Did on My Vacation” ?

Back then, I proudly wrote: “I read, I swam, I sunbathed by the pool, I caught fireflies.”

Back then, we didn’t have computers and cell phones, I-Pads and I-Pods, Twitter and Facebook.

Back then, we didn’t have a hundred choices of things to DO, like skydive or zipline, paraglide or climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, river raft or whale watch.

Back then, vacation was a time to just BE.

Now, most of us are always doing, especially on vacation.

So I’m kind of embarrassed to answer the question about what I did on my vacation this month:reading, vacation, Ann Patchett,

(1)  I read six books: The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, Time and Again by Jack Finny, Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming, Marry Me, by Kristin Walker, The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett.

(2)  I walked hand and hand with my man, with no destination in mind.

Kauai, Hawaii, walking, vacation

A path to nowhere.

(3)  I watched giant turtles teach me the power of floating to wherever I am taken.

turtle, Kauai

I could do this all day.

(4)  I shopped at the U.S.’s western-most bookstore in the little town of Hanapepe, Kauai.

Talk Story Booksore, bookstores

(5)  I dozed in the sun after an hour of a yoga tai chi class along the ocean.

yoga, tai chi, vacation, meditation

(6)  I admired the sunrise…and the sunset.

Kauai, sunset, relaxation,

(7)  I caught waves of memories, splashes of insight, whispered tradewind words of wisdom, sand drifts of dreams, and a beach load of joy.

Many say I didn’t DO anything…

I say I explored the world of BE.

“A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in.” Robert Orben

“A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in.” Robert Orben

42 thoughts on “Let It BE!”

  2. It’s only as we get (ahem) older that we get comfortable with not ‘doing’. If you have the luxury of time then there’s nothing more reinvigorating than a period of drifting, physically and mentally.

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    • Well, now that you put it that way, I guess you’re right. When we’re younger, we strive to throw everything in our basket; it’s not until we’e a bit more ‘mature’ that we realize, sometimes, an empty basket is the point. Always love your comments – thank you~

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  6. Good for you! How awesome……of course as soon as I saw your post name I thought of the song “Let it Be” so now…..I gots Paul McCartney floatin’ ’round in my head! ha ha ha! Thanks Pam! 🙂

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  7. Oh my gosh, this sounds like the perfect vacation! I live in NJ and we have been bombarded with snow storm after snow storm this winter. My husband and I have been to gorgeous Kauai a few years ago and you have me yearning for warm days hanging out and reading on the beach. Letting it “be” is definitely something I long for right now. Beautiful images.

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    • I grew up in NJ and return every summer. It’s a much maligned state, yet has much to offer. But NOT this winter. I sympathize with you. We can still get our sense of “BEing” in the snow and cold, it just takes a greater imagination. :-0

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    • Oh Kathy, believe me, I thought of you when I wrote about my get away. I don’t want my readers to get annoyed with me (I mean, going from relatively warm weather to this location, while many of my friends and followers are suffering through an insufferable winter). I hope my words warmed you in some way, and I hope you DO get a break! xo

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  12. How awesome that you could get away and just “be” in Hawaii….so cool! I enjoyed reading about what you did do on your awesome vacation….it made me think of how wonderful it had to be for you in such an exotic location while I am here in New Jersey looking at all our cold snow! Glad you had such a great time my friend!!! I always enjoy reading whatever you have to say Pammy!!!

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    • Well, you and I both know that NJ can be exotic, in its own way. Right? However, I always found NJ more exotic in the sunny summer, NOT the chilly icy winter. Stay warm – and thank you for the wonderful FB review of The Right Wrong Man!

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  13. I do not like vacations where you are rushing rushing rushing from place to place. I just like “to be” too. Yours sounds awesome.

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  15. What a fabulous sounding vacation!! Vacations should be about days like you describe – rest, recharge. Nothing wrong with active vacations either. Hawaii is on my bucket list for sure! 🙂

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    • Probably a bit of both – rest and activity – is the best of both worlds. Count on me to give you some ideas/suggestions when you’re ready to fill that bucket with a trip to Hawaii!!

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  17. Now that is my kind of vacation!

    That is why I love the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania. Sure, there are things to see and do, but there are many, many more place to just BE! And that’s where you can find me.

    You’re an inspiration to overscheduled, plugged-in, exhausted vacationers everywhere. Well done, my friend.

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    • Pennsylvania is the land of mountains and valleys, beauty and serenity (once you get past the cities). Did you know that I went to college in gorgeous upper PA? That’s where I first discovered how to BE, watching the stars while high (no, not that kind of high) up on a mountain. Thanks for the memories.

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