From The Therapist's Deck Chair, or The Mental Health Benefits of Watermelon.

I'm sitting on a deck overlooking lush vineyards. A gentle morning breeze is washing over me. In the distance I hear a dog barking and sheep bleating.  A cranky rooster is making himself known.  It's just after 9 in the morning.

Clearly I'm not in my office. It's a holiday. A day off. One of life's stress-reducers.

I'm a big fan of time away from work. Studies show that absence of work stress--even for a day--can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and even improve our odds against cardiovascular disease. When we slow down, our bodies slow down.

For "type A" personalities, slowing down can be a challenge, but one that can change lives.

I have a theory about holidays like the Fourth of July. We march in parades. Some people paint their faces red, white and blue.  We wave the flag, beat drums, and set off explosions of multicolored grandeur in the air.  Tonight, all across America tonight, millions of children (and, ok this adult) will coo in unison: ooooh, ahhhhh! as pyrotechnics light up the sky.

And, for most of us, it's a day away from our normal work. I count this as one of life's blessings, and hold in high regard those who work holidays so the rest of us can run out for that extra head of garlic, have a meal out, grab a box of Band Aids or the can of cat food we forgot the day before.

Oh, yeah, my theory. I'm getting to it. I'm distracted by hawks who are riding the air currents in the valley below. My theory is this: holidays are permission-giving occasions. On holidays, we get permission not only to skip work, but to be a bit childish again. Just observe anyone, of any age, at any picnic eating a juicy slice of watermelon. I rest my case.

We also get permission, on these "special" occasions, to do "special" things: we might spring for a steak instead of hamburger, pull out that "good" bottle of pinot we've been "saving," whip up our special salad, invite over special friends, indulge a little in that dessert we only have on special occasions.  You get the point.  It's a delicious bit of indulgence that, in moderation, lets us not only enjoy a few of life's treats, but also, in my mind, give us permission to treat ourselves well.

Two quail have just crossed the garden path, looking for worms?  Their treats, perhaps? They walk slowly, oblivious to us humans, seemingly content with their leisurely stroll in the morning sun.

We could learn something from the quail.  But wait, we're on holiday, so I'll suspend the learning, the "shoulds," the must-dos and the agendas, just for the day.

Enjoy your holiday. Spend time with friends.  Ooo and ahhhh at tonight's fireworks.  And have an ice-cold slice of watermelon, and let the juices run down your chin. I can almost guarantee the sight will provide you--or at least those around you--with a genuine, child-like grin.

I can almost hear the blood-pressure dropping.

Thanks for listening. Happy Fourth.