Take a deep breath. That fresh air you’re taking in? That’s New England air. People pay a lot of money for that oxygen. Sure, a lot of people head to the Cape, the Islands or Maine to breathe in the ocean air, but a good number of tourists come near our neck of the woods to get a little of our fresh air. The Berkshires, which is just over the border from Suffield, generated $827 million in tourism two years ago. Only two towns over in Litchfield County, $356 million was made from tourism in 2015.
Why would anyone leave Suffield this summer when everyone is clamoring for our summer breeze?
Apropos, my wife and I have decided this year to keep the family local for a stay-cation.
Our rationale for staying home during our time off has less to do with the area’s natural beauty and more to do with economics — we blew our holiday budget to flee April’s relentless frigidity for warmer climes.
Still, Connecticut has a lot to offer. We like to take day trips to the beach. We hike, bike and kayak, and there’s tons of places around here to do those kinds of activities. And, if we’re really not into hitting the road, we can just chill at home.
Therein lies the challenge. It’s hard to “chill” at home when so many things are calling out for people not to “chill.” There’s the general maintenance of every home – a house to keep, grass to cut, etc. There are the little projects that are put off during the year for lack of time – the new garden to till, the patio paving stones to set, the room to paint. And, of course, there’s always the job, the gravity of which is always pulling people back to work in one form or another.
It doesn’t matter where you are, there will always be an array of vectors that push every human being from that state of rest and relaxation into some form of motion. That’s why when people finally get time off, they jump in their cars or on planes to outrun those forces of labor.
Our window for departure has come and gone, so we’re committed to staying in Suffield this summer.
My wife is far more optimistic about our chances of having a restful and relaxing stay-cation. She’s got places to visit and activities lined up, some of them sound really fun.
I have my reservations. The dust still settles. The grass still grows. And, there’s no escaping the fact that something always needs to get done.