“Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!”
Mr Banks in Mary Poppins
Vacation or Staycation? The Importance of Rest And Leisure In Our Life
Leisure is a certain inner absence of anxiety and preoccupation, it is peace, an ability to let go, a capacity to be quiet, a form of yearning stillness, a disposition of contemplative beholding, a recognition of the mysterious character of the world, and an ability to trust. It is the condition which makes possible any creative impulse; it is the necessary disposition for love. Leisure is the attitude of gratitude; the experience of a joyful soul. It is not a mere break from work. It is the ability to be in contact with the personal and life-giving presences and facets of reality that can renew us and from which we can live, even in the midst of the busy world of work.
Pope Francis recently told of his way of resting – a method that has been dubbed ‘staycation’. Basically, for the past forty odd years, he has taken rest without ever going on vacation. He does change his routine by waking up a little later than normal, praying, listening to music and reading classics. He also enjoys spending time with the poor...
From the Popes
TOP POPE FRANCIS' QUOTES ABOUT REST
"REST IS SO NECESSARY for the health of our minds and bodies, and often so difficult to achieve due to the many demands placed on us. But rest is also essential for our spiritual health, so that we can hear God’s voice and understand what he asks of us."
FROM LIFE: The Traveller With A Purpose
Christina Gatt from Malta travels with a purpose. Christina is passionate about travel. She spends one month each year as a holiday visiting here and there as a tourist with a local tourist guide. What's special about Christina is that she spends a day or two helping the needy of the place with the help of the local tourist guide. She says that these connections made her travels in Morocco, Tanzania and Madagascar even more meaningful and interesting...
"I will never forget the face of an old woman who started crying when we stopped to give the rice..."