31 Days of Brave: Vacation

Gentle Reader,

I’m on vacation this week.

For the last three years, I’ve taken the last week of October off. Autumn is my favorite season and I like having some time to enjoy the colors, the winds, the crispness. Even now I’m distracted by the breeze outside as it knocks the leaves off of the tree in my front yard.

This year, I came close to cancelling this week of rest. We’re shorthanded in my department following a coworkers retirement earlier this month. I’ve had to go at my tasks with extra speed just to keep afloat. I’ve been struggling for the last few weeks with guilt over being off, even though I asked for this vacation time months before now.

When I woke up this morning, the guilt was there again, but you know what? I say no. The only thing that would drive me back to work this week is fear. And fear of what? That things won’t get done. Oh, well. My coworkers can step up, just like I do when they take vacation. And if they choose not to, and there is a nightmarish mountain of stuff waiting for me when I get back?

Oh, well.

Bravery takes a break.

 For all of the posts in the 31 Days: Brave series, go here.