During the school holiday period, we begin to talk and think about the word “rest,” which generally ends up excluding from this time the pursuit of developing new and little-known skills.
I cannot deny that after a period of much physical and/or mental effort, every human being needs to recover from exhaustion, but we must also not forget that acquiring new knowledge is, above all, one of the happiest games that children enjoy in their early childhood. This should not be considered merely a characteristic of this developmental period, but rather a differentiator between humans and other beings on this planet.
The pleasure of “learning oneself” from stimulating opportunities, alongside friends or family (in good doses of interaction and idea exchange) or even with information technology equipment (as long as used in moderation), nourishes and strengthens the human being for future experiences and demands.
The more I learn, whether through my own stories or those shared by others, the more capable and serene I become to position myself balancedly in future everyday situations, especially the adverse ones.
Thus, with the arrival of the school recess period, it can be of great importance for the learning process itself, where students, resting their academic materials, have the opportunity to enjoy school subtly embedded in parks, movies, paints, musical notes, other websites, and books, as well as in the sweet stories of parents and grandparents during lazy meals, filled with knowledge and flavors (as Rubem Alves would say). In many cases, even a simple walk around the block or a trip to the supermarket, not for the mere obligation and urgency of need but for the pleasure of rummaging through the shelves in search of something special for the next day, can be educational and very joyful.
Rummagers, over time, tend to become people filled with stories, detail-oriented and patient.
In conclusion, it is not advisable to waste this dreamed period only with bed, food, and repetition of habitual activities, no matter how satisfying and pleasant they may seem. Life offers us thousands of possibilities, and the future increasingly demands that we learn and position ourselves in the face of its diversity and demands.
If this proposal, filled with activities, frightens you regarding the need to recreate, observe that this verb means “to distract,” which in other words can be defined as “to draw someone’s attention to other objects or points of view.” The more points we seek to understand, the more we rest, for as Aristotle said: “… the primary function of knowledge is to lead man to overcome his own fears.”
Rest is in the peace and serenity that comes from the One who inhabits and consoles us, as it is written in Psalms 94:19: “In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your consolations delighted my soul.”
GUILHERME DAVOLI
Psychologist, psychotherapist, teacher, and business and educational consultant. Author of several self-help books. Conducts courses, lectures, and workshops in companies, public agencies, and educational institutions.
www.guilhermedavoli.com.br