March 14, 2016 Monday)
This is Spring Break week for our local school district and for many others throughout the state. I’ll be expecting some family members for a visit this week as they enjoy their week off. Not all schools, however, observe the same schedule; some have Spring Break at another time, some before this week and others, after. But by the time Easter weekend arrives this year, most will have had a spring break.
When I was in school, we observed Labor Day, then started classes the next day. We had two days off for Thanksgiving, a week off for Christmas, two days around the Easter weekend, and a few more holidays during the year. We did not do “Spring Break.”
The Spring Break is provided by academia just to give young people time away from their studies. It doesn’t seek to justify itself; it just is.
What do people do during their free week in the spring? All kinds of things. Perhaps most find a beach where others of their age gather and spend the time seeking pleasures of all kinds. Many groups get together and do helpful things for their churches or communities. A group from First Baptist Church, Rockport, is in New Orleans doing mission work this week. The TV news shows video of young people building or painting houses for disadvantaged families every year. Some families get together and have a vacation nearby or far away. People do all kinds of things during their spring vacation from school.
We now know for a fact that humans need diversity in their lives. Days off, mini-vacations, trips to the mall, the golf course, the swimming pool, the beach, the library, the aquarium, the park, the next town up the road, the antique store, the community festival, etc. help to maintain physical and mental health. “Give me a break” is not just a slogan–it’s an appeal for help.
Enjoy the week. When you get back to work, you’ll do a better job. When you are back in classes, you will study harder. When you resume your schedule at home, you’ll enjoy it more. Have fun. Spring Break comes only once a year.