Faire Le Pont

Posted on | May 31, 2010 | 2 Comments

In French, faire le pont literally translates to “to make the bridge,” but it’s really an idiom that means “to take a long weekend.” If we were in the United Kingdom or Ireland, this weekend would be referred to as a “bank holiday” weekend, so named because the first hour official state-sponsored holidays (think government holidays in the U.S.) were established by the passing of the Bank Holidays Act of 1871. In Norwegian, the term for a long weekend translates roughly to “oval weekend” – the idea is that regular weekends are “round” (though don’t ask me why), but the addition of an extra day makes them oval.

Whatever you call it, long weekends, such as the current Memorial Day weekend, are a vital part of cultures across the world. And while I can’t speak for other countries, having never lived anywhere but the U.S., I can say that long weekends in America are eagerly awaited. Yes, I love having an extra weekend day here and there – who doesn’t. But from my perspective, the long weekend is essential to maintaining that delicate balance between work and play.

I’ve never really bought into the whole American corporate ideal of “work, work, work,” so perhaps it’s no surprise that I value the chance to take a break from work and breathe a little. I love my job, but I would hate it if my job was the only thing of value in my life. Long weekends and vacations give me the chance to step back and rejuvenate so that when I do go back to work, I’m much more alert and productive.

We all need that chance to slow down a bit. Newton’s First Law of Motion states that an object in motion will remain in motion until acted upon by an outside force. Unless we make ourselves take the time to slow down, to enjoy the long weekend – to “faire le pont” – we’ll never slow down and eventually we’ll burn ourselves out. We’re not the Energizer Bunny after all.

It’s not just the slowing down, though. It’s also about learning to place value on something other than a paycheck or a bottom-line. I can’t say that I earned any money this Memorial Day weekend or did much for the betterment or advancement of society. But I did do quite a bit for myself. I cooked, with herbs I grew myself, and satisfied more than just physical hunger. I walked on the beach and watched families together, enjoying the simple delights of sand and water. I sat on my balcony and ready a good book while the sun set in the distance.

Wall Street might disagree, but that sure sounds like time well spent to me.

How did you “faire le pont” this past weekend? Happy Memorial Day and a thousand thanks to all of the veterans who have served our country well.

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]

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