So I took a quick lunch break during work today – an odd occurrence on a Monday, since I’m usually at work at my desk from 7:30 until 5:30 on my favorite day of the week. Today, however, was pretty relaxed for a change, and I took the opportunity to take a breather, spend 15 minutes driving around and stop for a cold soda. It was nice to be able to take that pause in the middle of my hectic day. Any other day of the week I’m fine staying at work all day, but Mondays are stressful and that break is just enough.
So as I’m driving around on my mini lunch break today, I passed a car from out of state (I think it was New York, but I can’t be sure). It’s peak leaf peeking season in Vermont right now, so there really is quite a bit of traffic in town. I don’t begrudge the tourists anything – if I didn’t live in Vermont, I’d want to come here in the fall, too…it’s absolutely beautiful here in September and October (November gets a little cold for my taste). I happened to notice the driver of this out of state car was holding up a cell phone to the windshield of his car. It took me a few seconds to realize what he was actually doing. He was taking a photo of the colored leaves on the trees lining the street…while he was driving!
Like I said, I don’t hold anything against the tourists. They bring more economic stability into my community. They are allowed to enjoy the beauty of the season too. But…stop and smell the dead leaves! Pull the car over, get out, dig through your luggage to get your real camera, and take the time to photograph what you find beautiful. Take the time. Give yourself the break from the hustle bustle of your day to day life that you’ve taken a vacation and come to New England to achieve. You are on vacation, dammit – enjoy it!
Our culture is so hung up on cramming in so much experience into so little time that we forget to enjoy it. We’ve forgotten how to simply stop and relax. I think everyone should adopt the habit of deliberately taking five minutes every day to put themselves in a peaceful environment and just stop. Just for five minutes. It’s my version of stopping to smell the roses. Only in my world, it’s stopping to smell the dead leaves.
