Home
>
Spirituality
>
Vacation Pilgrimage

Vacation Pilgrimage

I heard recently on a Christian radio station somebody talking about turning a vacation into a pilgrimage or a sabbath time, an opportunity to get closer to God. The speaker said that there is no word in ancient languages equivalent to the word "vacation". While I don't think that's true (the word has it's origins in the Latin), I would agree if she had said that ancient people probably did not generally have time for vacationing since they were often more preocuppied with daily survival. The closest these people may have ever gotten to a vacation could have been a religious pilgrimage.

One dictionary definition of a pilgrimage is "A long journey or search, especially one of exalted purpose or moral significance." So, a religious pilgrimage is generally a long, arduous journey. Hardly the kind of liesure modern people tend to seek when vacationing.

And yet some people may feel the same way about camping and backpacking. These activities can be hard work, and even with the best camping gear, you would probably sleep better in the comfort of your own bed at home.

Also, I must say that my memory of our family vacations as a child are of spending many hours locked in a car on our way to someplace like the Grand Canyon. These trips certainly seemed long and arduous to me.

So, if we go with this theme of a vaction being like a pilgrimage, what could the exalted purpose be?

A Chinese friend of mine recently observed that in America we have a balanced government, but we are not balanced in our personal lives. He said this is the exact opposite of China. This is an interesting observation. The Chinese place great importance on this concept of balance, or "yin and yang". Who could disagree that in our industrialized society there is far too much emphasis on money, career, advancement, success; and not enough attention paid to our relationships with our family and friends, with God, and with nature?

Any vacation can be a start at restoring that balance which has been lost. Vacationing outdoors may have a particular advantage in that it takes us completely out of that environment which has caused us to lose balance. Especially when we leave the radios and electronic games at home, we are forced to actually hold conversations with others and at times left with nothing but our own thoughts as company.

At first, many people are not comfortable with silence. We are accustomed to constant external stimulation. Without it, we feel lost. However, when we allow ourselves to slow down and just live in the moment, we realize that we don't need those outside intrusions.

After returning from a camping vacation, hopefully we will feel refreshed, we will have a better appreciation for our modern conveniences, we will have made some good memories, we will have strengthened relationships, and we will have brought our life a little more into balance. Sounds like an exalted purpose to me.

The author, Greg Bonney, is the owner of Bonney Information and E-Commerce and founder of Scoutcamping.com (http://www.scoutcamping.com).

town car ride to ohare Bethalto .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

FlashBot Arm, a semi-humanoid robot, acts more like a human than traditional robots, and you may see it working at a restaurant, healthcare center or hotel.

There are multiple ways to find your missing Android phone after it goes missing. One method involves using a smartwatch to ping your phone.

The NeuroOne OneRF Ablation System is a new device with FDA-cleared technology designed for both diagnosing and treating neurological disorders in one procedure.

The CyberGuy provides tips to protect yourself from criminals who use various methods to make unauthorized transactions using your account information.

New drone technology maps land and water with stunning accuracy, giving researchers and conservationists a new way to understand our planet.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

X hit with massive data breach with 200 million records leaked, including emails. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers seven tips to help protect yourself.

Atlas robot by Boston Dynamics amazes tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson with its breakdancing moves.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Google kept Android SafetyCore details quiet until it scanned users' photos.

Hydrogen trucks debut in Georgia, sparking debates on costs and green freight gains. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson comments on this promising chapter in green logistics evolution.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says ChatGPT learns from chats, but you should avoid sharing sensitive information to protect your privacy.

Beyond Aero's BYA-1: Hydrogen-electric jet with zero emissions, reduced costs, 2030 launch. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses a potential game changer in the evolution of air travel.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how you can creatively repurpose your old unused Android devices, which are full of potential and hidden value.

Mech the super-humanoid robot can lift up to 132 pounds and is designed to tackle stressful and repetitive tasks that often lead to workplace injuries.

Double-clicking is something we all do, often without giving it a second thought. But it could be giving hackers permission to do something dangerous.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt the CyberGuy offers some of his easy expert tips to free up storage space on your Android if your device is running short on storage.

You can reset your internet router remotely if you're not home when your power goes out. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how this can be done.

The EO Canopy is a self-sustaining, solar-powered camping platform designed to provide all the comforts of home while completely off the grid.

Experts say hackers who used to focus on Windows operating systems are increasingly targeting Apple IDs as part of a new phishing campaign.

Unitree, a Chinese robotics company that developed a backflipping robot, has now introduced a humanoid robot capable of doing a side flip.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

According to the FBI, cybercriminals are sending extortion letters, threatening to release victims' sensitive information unless a ransom is paid.

FireSat is a satellite project designed to detect and track wildfires early, aiming to detect a fire that's the size of a classroom within 20 minutes.

Vacation Pilgrimage

Spirituality