Stop, Revive, Survive

I have just returned from my trip to Australia where I virtually disconnected from blogs, email and facebook for 2 weeks.  It is the first time that I have done this for a long time.  At first it seemed weird and I did attempt to stay in touch posting the occasional random blog post, but as I relaxed and enjoyed my time with my family I realized how easily I get my priorities out of focus.  Having realized that I didn’t even try to connect to the internet again until I was sitting in the San Francisco airport waiting for my connecting flight back to Seattle.

This has been a very special time especially with my mother.  We drove from Sydney to Brisbane, spent time with other family members including her one remaining sister, visited art galleries and just enjoyed each other’s company.

It was a wonderful and refreshing time though I wish there was a better cure for jetlag.  I have only logged about 6 hours sleep in the last 48 and am definitely feeling a little fuzzy around the edges.  As we drove north along the highway we were continually confronted with this sign – STOP, REVIVE, SURVIVE reminding us of those who have accidents and sometimes kill themselves because they don’t take enough breaks.  It was a great excuse to stop for another cappucino every couple of hours, and along the way we discovered some wonderful out of the way coffee shops – one in an 1880s house with incredible pressed metal work on ceiling and walls, another a beautiful spot on the riverfront at Kempsey – the outside seating was a little chilly on a cold winter’s day but well worth it for the homemade apricot scones we enjoyed.

This trip and the recurring sign – STOP, REVIVE SURVIVE – was a good reminder to me too of my need to rest and refresh myself on a regular basis – though not quite every 2 hours as the signs suggest.  When I get back into work mode it is easy for me to forget that work is not everything – particularly when the garden is overflowing with produce and my email account is bursting at the seams with new messages.

So what are you doing this summer (or winter for those of you Down Under) to STOP, REVIVE and SURVIVE.  And what do you do on a regular basis that maintains the rhythm of rest and revitalization necessary for survival in our high pressured world?