Editorials

You Deserve a Break

Posted

Baseball fans know that the mid-summer All-Star break is starting this weekend, with a full schedule of game-related events leading to the All-Star Game itself on Tuesday.

The American/National League matchup—with a strong presence by New York’s super hot Yankees and Mets—is a must-watch for fans.

We’re going to be following the action, and hope that many others will too.

Like Major League Baseball, all of us need a break, and mid-summer is a good time to take one.

It’s been a rough few years in many ways that don’t really need repeating in detail, and we’re not completely out of the woods yet. Covid is still lurking and prices for groceries and gas are uncomfortably high, among other things.

But a breezy and clear summer day is free to enjoy.

Those who have planned or taken a vacation trip have already built in their break from the day-to-day routine, whether as tourists visiting a national park or exploring a far-off land, or spending time with family members out of town.

Others can still enjoy the God-given pleasures of the outdoors, even such modest activities as a short stroll in a local park or a day trip to one of the many public beaches that our area is fortunate to have.

If you’re in need of spiritual refreshment, try breaking the routine of Mass only on weekends and adding a weekday Mass for variety, perhaps at a parish other than your own for a change of scene.

The important thing is not even the activity, so much as it is the break.

The communities in the archdiocese, whether big city or small town, offer the chance to play tourist and discover little-known offbeat attractions, often at low or no cost. That’s right.

How many people are aware, for instance, that the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood has an award-winning museum that’s free at all times?

Even some of our world-class attractions that charge hefty entrance fees, like the Bronx Zoo, offer reduced admission tickets at least once a week and are easily accessible by public transportation.

The charming communities of the Hudson Valley abound with hiking trails and picnic grounds. Most of these villages and towns also have historic houses to explore (check for open hours) and low-key cafes where one can sit outside and savor a sandwich, a salad or a cool drink.

Obviously, most of us still have jobs and family responsibilities and can’t while all of our days away on beach chairs or at picnic tables. But we can certainly carve out some time to appreciate the season.

The daylight hours have already begun to shorten and many of us will soon be thinking about back-to-school chores.

Autumn in New York is a storied and beautiful season, but summer is the time for break. Let’s enjoy it while it’s here.