What I learnt this weekend #11

On this 42nd weekend, we can mark that over 80% of the weekends contained in 2012 have elapsed. If this year was a marathon, we would be just at the 21 mile mark of our 26 mile run.

You can say that we're on the 'home stretch' of this year. 

Upon reflection, I find that I spend quite a bit of my week looking forward to the weekend. When I think about it some more, I find that many of my weekends are squandered, i.e. much of this free time passes without me feeling like an active participant in life. This leaves me with a sense of regret in facing the new work week. I feel as though I didn't make good use of the two days I have off from the doldrums and sometimes downright ridiculous action of doing something I don't absolutely enjoy in exchange for money. 

An analogy to bring perspective:  A child throws a tantrum, that the most pampered celebrities will be envious of, to have that toy that they glanced at in a store. When the guardian reaches their wits end, picks up the toy, lines up and exchanges hard earned cash (which they received in exchange for mostly unpleasant work) for the toy, the child looks at the toy and tosses it to one side. The parent, after inquiring about the store's return policy, will wonder what insanity drives toddlers sometimes. 

Not spending every minute of the weekend, the time we spend fantasizing about all week, doing exactly what we want - is filled with the same insanity. Not using the weekends to make you feel like an active life-participant will only drain us more for the ensuing work week cycle. 

This weekend, unlike other countless weekends, I spent in a completely revitalizing manner. Without going into detail, which is not important for the point I'd like to bring across, I felt it was a worthwhile use of the two hard earned days we are granted between work cycles. 

My weekend with friends, nature and my country has made me think about the following:

• We are on earth for a short and finite period. We sometimes wait for particular circumstances to begin the life we dream of - retirement with a comfortable nest egg or that big break in our career. We, at any time of our lives, have the power to decide to live in the present. That is, not simply to exist or 'make do' with what we have now in the hope and anticipation for the future we dream about. We don't have as long as we think.

• Instead of wishing for the weekend, I will start planning for the weekend. It sounds simple and I thought it was obvious. But I can recall piles of weekends coming to an end where I thought "What have I done all weekend?"

Due to my failure to select the winning lotto numbers, I will be reporting to work bright and early in the morning. However, in this particular case, I will do so having come off a fantastic weekend.