Sometimes I ask the students I tutor privately a very serious question:

“What did you do last week for fun?”

Without exception, they stare at me with their eyes glazed over and hem and haw for a few minutes until, out of a heartbreaking sense of pity, I let them off the hook.

In their race to nowhere, these students’ lives are so full of violin and tennis lessons, SAT classes, and debate and soccer tournaments that they’ve forgotten how to be idle, how to goof off. 

This is criminal. 

I told one student that for homework I wanted him to spend 20 minutes just lying on his bed doing nothing but staring at the ceiling.  Judging by the look he gave me, you’d have thought I’d asked him to shank his sister.

* * * 

Teachers are no different. 

The Merry-Go-Round is often going so fast we forget we’re supposed to enjoy it.

Well, this is your reminder.

Start tonight:  Do something fun.

Read for awhile.  Listen to music.  Take a walk.  Sit in a chair and do nothing.

You’ve worked hard.

You’ve earned it.

McDonald’s used to have a slogan:  You Deserve a Break Today.

They were right. TZT