The Catskill Chronicle

Twice Divorced – By Grayce Goin

Dear Twice Divorced,

Lately I’ve been having a really bad case of “spring fever.” Maybe it was all the warm weather at the end of March, but more and more I find myself wishing I could just get away, have an adventure; anything but do my work.

Do you have any words of wisdom that might help to re-connect me to the ground?

Spring Fevered

Dear Fevered,

I gather from your letter that a real vacation is not possible right now, so I have a few recommendations that might help you get through. If you can spend a night or two away from home with or without company, do so. Getting completely away from for all normal routines, even if only for a day or so, will help clear your head and relieve the tension in your muscles. If this is not possible then just take a day trip or even a half day trip – go to the beach or a mountain top or a spa or the theatre, or whatever will bring you the most enjoyment. If you have a significant other who wants to do something else – go alone. This is about you. Or pick one your guilty pleasures; shop for a pair of designer shoes – at an outlet, spend an afternoon searching for the most recent offerings from your favorite author or find a potential new favorite – at a used book store.

Several years ago I had to cancel plans to attend my husband’s family reunion in the Rockies when my younger son developed a severe ear infection. I had been so looking forward to having my boys join in the activities planned by other parents, and their father catching up with relatives from all over the country while I was off enjoying some desperately needed solitude. At first I wallowed in my disappointment thinking about what I would be doing had we been able to get away, but then I found myself daydreaming that I actually was doing what we had planned. Daily horseback riding on a winding trail through the mountains, swimming in a quiet lake with the chill breeze creating wave like ripples across the surface, or luxuriating in an otherwise empty hot tub at 5:00 a.m. were the things I had been most looking forward to. So I would sit the kids down with Super Mario Brothers or some such game – curl up in a comfortable chair and spend 20 or 30 minutes on a mental vacation and was amazed by the positive impact it had on my frame of mind. The boys were happier, the dog was happier, even the (now-ex) husband was happier.

Seriously consider what would best please your sense of self within your personal time and budgetary constraints, then go for it – it may not be everything you would want, but it should go a long way toward making the next few months easier to bear.

Be Well

Letters can be sent to deartwice@yahoo.com or Catskill.Chronicle@yahoo.com. Be sure to put Twice Divorced in the subject line.

To view all of the cartoons for Twice Divorced or to purchase prints visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.