The Meaning of Holiday

The locals where I lived in Japan referred to weekends as the holiday . I found it befitting of the way of life in Japan. Although the Japanese really are the workaholics they're portrayed to be, when it's time to play they are genuinely festive about it.

There are several festivals on the Japanese calendar and even more that are local and regional. I remember the streets being often retrofitted in banners and lamps in an array of vibrant colors. I attended a summer festival (Gion Matsuri) just before ending my year there. The boulevard was a river of people. Music blared and vendors and food carts lined the street. There were decorated floats, called dashi , moving along the way, as well as the Shinto deity (kami) being carried from the shrine on his mikoshi (palate).

The word holiday derives from a 14th century word (haligdæg ) meaning both "day of recreation" and "religious feast". A holy day. I think the Japanese have it right and can broaden our perspective about the sanctity of the time we are to create for rest and play. In fact, the concept is not unlike Sabbath, or Shabbat , in Hebrew culture.

We all need to draw back periodically to re-energize. I don’t think how we accomplish this matters as long as we do it and deem it truly sacred. You see, it’s not just about resting our bodies; it’s about embracing life and the people near us. Holiday is what every day can and should be—and will be when we understand how to live carefree and not take ourselves and our ambition too seriously.

So stop, pick a reason to celebrate, go do it, and, finally, make a habit of it—happy holidays .