I’ve learned to live like I’m on vacation.

I realized that just the other morning, as I looked at my list from Wednesday.

Even amidst all the things I’ve been through health wise, I’ve never stopped being a list maker. A little over a year ago, I transitioned from my fixation to write it all down and now it’s simply placed in my “Notes” app on my smartphone. Yes, I finally released the gratification of being able to physically cross things off with a pen, now I simply check it off (with a champagne bottle emoji) within the app list.

But I digress and also wonder, did you all really need to know anything from that last paragraph? One wonders.

Last week, as I looked at Wednesday, acknowledging what needed to carry over to Thursday, I recognized how much life now feels more like vacation. The urgency and stress I once used to put on myself now gone.

A large part of this I would attribute to the lessons of the last five-and-a-half years of my life, coupled with the fact that I’m now an empty nester. No longer do I stare at a calendar filled with performances, pick up times and “must do” events. I am now the manager of my own time, with a fresh set of glasses.

The part time work schedule of course factors into this “vacation” feeling I now seem to live with. Never in my life did I dream that I would face a chapter of becoming an empty nester and working part-time all at once. No, quite the opposite. Two years ago, I had set a goal that in my daughter’s senior year, I would begin looking for other work which would fulfill my bank account better and begin preparing for a life of retirement.

I truly love what we do and serving the community, yet it’s no surprise to anyone that journalists aren’t among the financial jet setters. As a single mom, this job served our family well (and still does), yet as someone who has always been career driven my plan was to find something a bit “more,” once sending my youngest off to college.

Of course, God laughs while we’re busy making plans and that proved true in my life yet again.

In late 2021, when first meeting with my UCSF team one of the key things they advised to help control the disease was reducing stress. As a girl who has loved my life and all that it entails, I struggled to see the “stress” they spoke of.

To put it simply, I should have started living my best vacation life then.

Looking back, it’s easy to debate myself on how that wasn’t feasible. How my children were still young, my job required my full attention and life was just too busy. Chalk that up to poor management. Just like when a company goes out of business or loses key employees, it can be chalked up to poor management.

Now that I’ve had time to sit in stillness this past year, reflection has been a gift.

The stress of making everyone else happy is lifted. The peace with not meeting another’s expectation has been found and the beauty of using my voice to say, “yeah, that won’t work,” liberating.

I recently had a girlfriend share that she felt this last year’s experience has fast forwarded me to my 80-year-old self and she’s not entirely wrong. While I don’t make it a goal to hurt anyone with honesty, I also don’t feel a need for excessive sorry’s or mincing words to help someone else feel better about what they’ve asked, expected or done. It’s not being cruel, but it is a bit more direct, not everyone is ready for that and that’s okay.

When returning to work in August, I had to remind myself, I have served this community for over two decades. If the community and our readers don’t know my heart by now, there’s not much I can do about that.

So, here’s my wish for each of you. From the busy mommy, to the coach father, the retired reader and everyone in between; I hope you learn to find a way to make your life feel like vacation too. Yes, I understand the busy-ness and commitments; make yourself one. I also understand the need for work and money; find one that serves your soul. And as for the commitments put upon you by others; become a better manager.

You see there’s some true beauty in living a life which feels like you’re on vacation. The biggest and brightest is the lack of need to escape to feel restful and joy. Please don’t misunderstand, I am 100 percent a girl who loves to pack a bag and go. Yet that zest for adventure has little to do with escaping my daily life and more to do with memory making with those I love.

So here’s to a holiday season of abundance. Abundance of memories, love and days which feel like vacation.

Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 209-847-3021.