“One’s destination
is never a place,
but a new way
of seeing things.” 
Henry Miller

The Southwest Airlines “Wanna get away?” marketing campaign, which ran from 1998 to 2008, was brilliant. A woman in an airport had a problem with her contact lens, so she blindly stumbled into the rest room to use the mirror to help her resolve the situation. Only then did she realize that she was in the men’s restroom. “Wanna get away?”

A military leader, during a crisis situation, was required to divulge his secret passcode to his colleagues to prevent a global disaster. With reservation, and a bit of embarrassment, he spelled out “ihatemyjob1.” One of his subordinates, shocked by what he had just heard, looked at officer and verified the password. “I hate my job one?” [Pause] “Wanna get away?” 

A number of different scenarios were used to create the same type of awkward dilemma, causing the main characters to wish they could get away… immediately.  The commercials were quite entertaining, and, apparently, very effective.

I am not currently experiencing an awkward dilemma. I’m not trying to escape from anyone or anything. There is no particular place I need to be this week, and nothing urgent that I need to do, but I have the opportunity to get away for a few days. So this morning, I’ll hop on a Southwest flight to Los Angeles for a visit with my brother, Tom, and a few days of rest and relaxation. Some might think it strange that I would be flying solo on this adventure, but as Thomas Jefferson once said, “I think one travels more usefully when they travel alone, because they reflect more.”

There are times when taking a short vacation is a form of self-care, too. This is one of those times. I’m convinced that self-care is not selfish. Rather, it is an essential component of our overall physical and mental well-being. In addition to spending time with my brother, these few days away will give me the opportunity to do some reading, walking, a bit of thinking, and, if inspired to do so, some writing. I do not intend for it to be a working vacation. I’m simply giving myself the gift of a few days away from the responsibilities of daily life and the opportunity to spend some time with Tom. I have no set agenda for these few days. This, in itself, is a gift.

I’ll be in the air and well on my way before 8:00 this morning. The change of scenery will be nice, as will the weather this week in Southern California. When I arrive, I’ll catch an Uber ride to Loyola-Marymount University, where Tom lives and works. Then I’ll be ready to take a deep breath of the ocean air and make the most of my time in Los Angeles.

Wanna get away? I sure do.