I needed time to breathe. With my vacation days delegated to Christmas holidays, wedding planning, and the wedding itself, I found myself working through the summer with no breaks in sight. Half of the time, the office felt like a graveyard with so many coworkers driving to cottages, lounging in the Caribbean, or taking staycations. For me, the summer was looking like it would be bleak and endless.
What I missed most from growing up in Alberta was the proximity to the Rockies and the ease at which we could take weekend camping trips. When I was in undergrad, my friends and I would message each other, “hey, do you want to go camping this weekend?” A few days later, we would all be squished into someone’s car, with our sleeping bags on our laps, a cooler filled with BBQ necessities and beer, someone’s summer hits playlist blaring on the car speakers, and our boots on for hiking. One year, even a snowed-covered campground in May didn’t stop us from using a tiny shovel from an emergency kit to clear the site for our tent. The warmth of a campfire and the smell of rotating sausages always drew me back to those times with ease.
When an email popped into my inbox the other day, I couldn’t help but click on the title. It was for a Midsummer’s Eve event at Hart House Farm, a rural property owned by the University of Toronto’s student activity centre, Hart House. My fiance Petar and I have gone a few times on their day trips: one was about maple syrup tapping/processing, and one was about pressing for apple cider. This Midsummer’s Eve event was different because we would be able to pitch a tent on the field surrounding the farmhouse – camping!
Pretty soon, Petar and I were on the bus toward the farm with our gear (a $50 tent from Kijiji, foam mats and sleeping bags from Canadian Tire, our backpacks, and his camera). When we got there, we immediately set up our tent and was awarded with a BBQ lunch. All three meals were made by the farm committee with farm-to-table ingredients, which meant that the food was fresh and delicious. Also, we didn’t have to bring coolers, condiments, utensils, etc. There weren’t any specific activities, so we spent the day hiking on the trails, dipping our feet in ponds, reading our respective books, and catching up on sleep. At night, there was a free concert on the outdoor stage and s’mores roasted on the roaring campfire.
Lying on the grass looking over the farm with my finished book at my side, I realized that this was exactly what I needed. A longer trip doesn’t always allow me to get what’s needed, especially if we’re going on some epic adventure. I’m thinking back to my week long trip to Boston and New York last year around the same time, where it was a whirlwind of tours and attractions, one after the other like rapid fire. The planner in me, who wants to see as much as possible in the time that’s given and with the most value, can’t ever let go of the itinerary to just relax and do nothing.
Leaving the farm, I made the decision to pack my weekends this summer with activities. Why am I filling up my weekends if I just said I needed to “do nothing?” It’s always inevitable that someone will invite us somewhere, we’ll invite people somewhere, or some festival will come up that’s irresistible, but I’ve decided that I won’t put my planner hat on. I’m going to seek out activities that I can just book without creating by-the-minute schedules of what we’re going to do. I’m going to go on these short weekend excursions with a freedom to just enjoy what’s around me without being anxious that we’re not reaching every potential. With this new mindset, I hope to develop new habits, to read more, and to feel rejuvenated.
It’s turning out to be a “do nothing” summer, but I bet it’s going to be one of the best.
Pudding and Cake 