Why Sabbaticus?

Sabbaticus is the Latin word for sabbatical.  Sabbatical is an idea that became common in the late 1800’s, giving academics a year off to undertake research, to develop new skills and to become revitalised.   Of course the concept of a sabbatical is much older than that, with the Biblical concept of taking a day off following a period of six days work. More recently, sabbatical includes having an extended absence from work, not as a holiday from work, but a break with the intention of achieving a goal such as learning a new skill.

What is Sabbaticus?

The idea for Julie and me to take a sabbatical was planted by a work colleague Robert Davey while I was finishing an 18 month work assignment in Christchurch leading a team of 60 designers completing the first anchor project as part of the Christchurch rebuild.  Even though I had just celebrated working for 40 years for Opus, I am still a spring chicken at 57, and plan to work another 10 years before retirement.  If I am lucky, I may get 15 years of retirement, although I suspect that the quality of life will be less than what I enjoy today.  “Why not,” I asked, “sandwich one of these retirement years in between my remaining working years, before my body springs a leak and my mind become completely disengaged from its moorings?”

How will we do Sabbaticus?

We are using our caravan to sail around the South Island of NZ for four months.  The plan is to put to port for 5 to 10 days at 20 different locations.   We have christened our land ship ‘sabbaticus’.

Positive thoughts about Sabbaticus
 
For me, Sabbaticus presents the opportunity for intentional reflection, personal growth and renewed passion.  Stored within the ship’s hold is over 50 books.  Of these, only two are fiction – these being two books by Wilbur Smith, slipped up the gangway the night before I left home port of Palmerston North by my friend Ian.  I am not much of a reader of fiction, and even though I’ve started the first of the two books, I am not sure I will read the second.  The best book that I’ve read so far is ‘Rainbow Warrior: French Attempt to Sink Greenpeace’, by the Sunday Times (March 1986), which also has as it turns out, a maritime theme.  There is something very engaging reading about an event in history that has not only occurred in your life time, but in your country.
 
Challenging thoughts about Sabbaticus

Over the last week I’ve been asking myself several questions, including:

• “Can I be happy when I do not have the challenges that my work brings each day?”
• “How will living each day for four months within the confinement of our small cabin affect our marriage?”   
• "What are my goals and how do I structure each day to maximise the chance of achieving them?”

Sun Rise
Kaikoura, Goose Bay, Boat Harbour.

© W Stewart 2015