The word ‘leave’ has various meanings depending upon the context. For example, to leave is to go away or to depart...may be from the house, country, job, from a relationship...or as in WhatsApp, from the group. Another variant of the word leave is what we use in our day-to-day life...such as...leave me alone, leave door open, leave a message before you go, flight will leave from gate no so and so.
Getting permission to take time off from the workplace is ‘leave of absence’. This leave plays an important role in our life. Taking leave at the workplace means a big no to one’s hectic, monotonous routine. Not so easy to get it though. One has to apply for it, well in advance. Leave, I believe, should be taken and used for a good purpose. One can abuse it also. The thought of taking leave always evokes a sense of pleasure and happiness. Instantly one becomes a free bird and it is a great escape.
People take leave for various reasons. The predominant reason being for rest and relaxation. Taking leave from a hectic routine is invigorating and restorative. A person can return to work after a break with increased vigour and enthusiasm.
The maximum amount of casual leave admissible to the staff in a government office is 12 days in a calendar year. Besides this, there are various other leaves depending upon situations like sick leave, paid and unpaid, annual, maternity and paternity leave, study leave...et al which are all approved leaves.
There is another variety of leave called forced leave. Here an employee (mostly government) is either transferred (usually to a remote place) or asked to go on a long leave. This usually happens when a major scam or corruption is detected in any department (by NGOs or other investigating agencies). Normally, this person on long leave invariably is back in his office after the dust settles down.
As said earlier leave also means the act of departing or going away from the place. There are certain situations where leaves are not so pleasurable. For example, in the office, private or government, it may be any staff (from peon to a manager) who is leaving for greener pastures or maybe due for retirement after long years in service. Here a send-off party is always an emotional event. All memories of happier times spent together, the bonhomie, the laughter come flooding and leave you in tears.
More emotional, traumatic and devastating situations also arise when near and dear ones or any family member leaves (departs) for the heavenly abode. They leave behind their savings, belongings, property/estate if any...But above all, they also leave behind their memories, legacy, experiences, and their unfulfilled dreams!
