What About the Grownups?

By Susan Kottler | October 11, 2020

A friend who’s a teacher tells me that adults need recess. Every day. Especially now.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary says that recess means “a suspension of business or procedure for the purpose of relaxation or recreation.” For grown-ups these days, business and procedure are often non-stop. It’s easy to feel burned out if work is home and home is work.

Recess can be anything. For my teacher friend, a trip to the grocery store is contemplative. She relaxes while appreciating the intricate patterns in cabbages and the grandeur of tall piles of carrots. My neighbor, with small children in the mix, swears she couldn’t manage without online exercise class and the occasional glass of wine over the fence with the friend next door.

Any pleasant pause in the day’ activities qualifies as grown-up recess…a quiet cup of tea, a jog around the neighborhood, a chat on the phone…anything that moves the mind off the concerns and demands of life in 2020. Then, like kids who’ve run around the school yard, we can return to our obligations with a clearer head, better concentration, and maybe even a smile.

Copyright © 2020 Susan Kottler
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2 Comments

  1. Marilyn Jackson on November 6, 2020 at 4:49 pm

    Wonderful photo and I’d like to see more. Any other of yours online?
    —Marilyn

    • Susan Kottler on November 6, 2020 at 9:02 pm

      Thanks for writing! You can click on my name at the top of the post to view other Lens posts, or search under documentary photography. Also, my website, susankottler.com, for pre-pandemic work.

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