Thursday morning I didn't go to work, at least not until the afternoon. I had a lot going on, knew I'd have to work through the next few Saturdays, and felt I should grab some personal time when I could. So around 11:00 I went to the rec center to work out.
When I got there I was surprised to see so many people of leisure hanging out at the pool and whatnot, on a weekday morning. But school's out, and lots of people don't have to get up and go to work this time of year. There are several large segments of America's population that get summers "off."
I find in myself responding with a mix of envy and resentment, but if it came down to it I'd probably still rather go to work. At least most of the time.
But this idea of summer vacation is relatively new, isn't it? Used to be that most people worked longer and harder in the summer, sunup to sundown; schools closed in the summer primarily because there was MORE to do then. It wasn't about giving teachers, students, and their families a break. The dormant time was probably in the winter when there were no crops to tend.
So, I guess it goes back to agriculture. Things like the industrial revolution, electric lights, and being less effected by the heat and the cold of the seasons have changed our connection with the earth, at least for most of us.
What percentage of the world still operates in the traditional way - busier in the summer than in the winter?
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