Vacation All I Ever Wanted…

By Philip Li

…Vacation, have to get away. Those lyrics, from the aptly named “Vacation” classic summer anthem by The Go Gos, feel spot on for this moment in time. While the song is actually about a breakup of all things, I think most of us gloss over that and latch on to the peppy vibe. But if you do allow me to take the analogy a step further, I’d argue that we’re all going through a breakup right now. We’re breaking up with COVID, in a way—the quarantining, the worrying, and (in some circumstances) the masks. To wit, a colleague with young kids just told me that her older daughter’s school just lifted the outdoor-on-school-property mask mandate, and what it was like to see the beloved crossing guard’s smile for the first time in over a year.

That may sound like a small moment, but I think we’re all experiencing these small-but-mighty moments these days. And there’s no better time, as the unofficial start of summer is here. For many of us, that means we've either planned or are planning or will plan to take some time off. After 2020 in which many of us stayed sequestered at home, the itch to get on the road, on a plane, on a hiking trail, on a beach, or even on a dance floor is palpable. While I want my blog to reflect our work in the philanthropic sector, I think it’s just as valuable to talk about external factors and experiences that impact and affect that work. And perhaps now more than ever before, we all need and deserve that vacation in whatever shape and form it takes. We need to disconnect from work, reconnect with others, and celebrate coming out the other side of a rough year—we’ll be better at our work for it.  

Things are easing up and airports, train stations, highways, movie theaters, concert venues, and sports arenas are seeing packed crowds. I'm on an annual boys' getaway in Philadelphia, which resumed after a corona cancellation last year. I’m still taking a few travel precautions by picking a place that is doable by car and close to home. The city harbors many memories from my time here in college and grad school, but it's changed in so many ways. It's been fun to check out my old dorms on the Penn campus, nosh on Pennsylvania Dutch apple dumplings at Reading Terminal Market, do a Geno's vs. Pat's cheesesteak taste test in South Philly (Pat's for the win), and get reacquainted with American history at Independence Hall – and see how the interpretative presentation has evolved and is more inclusive of Black and Indigenous experiences. It was nice to get away. And seems appropriate that Phil Li would go to Philly. 

I hope you get an “all I ever wanted” vacation, a la the Go Gos, this summer. Be it near or far, by plane, train, or automobile…take a moment to reset and move onward to all the good days ahead.