GOING OFF DUTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19906, 28 September 1926, Page 14

GOING OFF DUTY.

Why is it that some girls get more good out of their holidays than others? You see some of them coming home worn out, poor things, and others n fresh as berries. Why is it? What is the secret that wears some and braces others?

It’s really quite simple—it’s merely a matter of knowing how to holiday. First, you must forget your work as if it didn’t exist. And now forget it? By hurling yourself into the vortex of holiday—as the bather on the beach hurls himself into the sea. Holiday is just a spirit, you know, and will let you capture it if you want it. Of course, we all want it, but do we let ourselves go—and get it? Notice that little phrase "lot ourselves g ’ if you please, for, if we wish to capture the holiday spirit, we simply must let ourselves go. There should be no confusion or doubt as to the meaning of the phrase. It’s just a matter of getting out of oneself—letting the holiday spirit guide one instead of the ordinary, every-day spirit—a grumpy one sometimes, as we all know, and as a rule monotonous. You will have probably met the girl who does precisely the same things on her holiday as she does when she is at home — only more so, because she has more leisure. If she is a reader she must be more of a reader on her holiday; she goes into the country with 'cr book, and sits under the tree with her book and stays there till it’s time for tea. A fine holiday! Or, perhaps, she is mad about tennis; after coming off duty it’s out on the courts till set of un; on her holiday it is still so, but from dappled dawn to dewy eve. “And, indeed, why not, if they enjoy it?” you may say. Well, really, they should not because it is overdoing a good thing. A girl who merely does something in excess on her holiday what she does in moderation all the year round simply misses the holiday spirit, whatever she may say. She is asleep—and a holiday is a matter we have to wake up to. Just think of all its delightful possibilities—think of them! 1 mean there is so much you can do on a holiday you have never dreamt of doing before, that you cannot do anywhere else, if you let yourself go and allow the holiday spirit to be your guide. Whether you meander among meadows or hob-nob with hills —a country holiday —matters not a jot. All that matters is that you hitch your wagon to the spirit of holiday. What does it matter if you are a little imprudent? At the most it means only for a month; as a rule merely for a couple of weeks. If I may be allowed to hark back to what I said at the opening of this article —forget your work; the holiday spirit will not have a word about work even whispered. Quite natural, too, isn’t it?” —Weekly Scot.mau.