What is a Vacation?

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vacation
n., often attrib [ME vacacioun, fr. MF vacation, fr. L vacation-, vacatio freedom, exemption, vr. Vacatus, pp.] 1 : a respite or time of respite from something" INTERMISSION 2: a scheduled period during which activity (as of work or school is suspended) b a period of exemption . . . 3 : a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation 4: an act or an instance of vacating
vacate
vb. vacated; vacating [L vacatus, pp. of vacare] 1: to make legally void : ANNUL 2 a : to deprive of an incumbent or occupant b : to give up the incumbency or occupancy of ~ vi : to vacate an office, post, or tenancy
vacuum
n [L, fr. neut. of vacuus empty; akin to L vacare to be empty] 1 : emptiness of space

from Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary

To Paris or Orlando?

When we think of a vacation, we generally think of a trip.

Maybe it's Paris or Orlando or a Caribbean Cruise, but what we generally mean is "getting away from it all". What is interesting about the definitions above is that they all mean (according to Webster's) something rather different.

If we look at the Latin meaning we see that there must be, somehow, a connection between the words "freedom" and "void" or empty. The "freedom" part is easy to understand - but where does the "void" come in? Who wants to be empty?

Empty?

Well, maybe we need to define "empty". Empty of what?

I don't know about you, but there are lots of things I don't want to be "empty" of. Love is one of those things no one ever has too much of, so we certainly don't want to get "empty" of love.

Who wants to be empty of things like family, friends or good memories? They are so much of who and what we are.

So what do we want to be "empty" of?

I don't know about you, but here are some things I personally would like to be "empty" of:

  • Hurt Feelings
  • Disappointments
  • Feelings of Guilt
  • Health worries
  • Money Worries

What would you add to the list (or take off) to make it yours?

Finding Freedom

If we go again to Webster's the answer is there.

When we empty ourselves from all those negatives, we will have the freedom to enjoy the positives.

We need to "vacate" all negative thoughts. We need to make them all void.

Than we can create a place for our own personal freedom.

Think about it on your next Comfort Vacation.