Oh the bliss of the promise of a real vacation away from home! I dont care if it is 5 miles or 500 plus miles away. There is something amazing about the thought of an intentional disconnect from your every day normal, no matter how great your normal is. I don’t care how you have to get there….on foot,by bike, by car, or the ever elusive plane nowadays, the unspoken thrill of it hums beneath your skin like nothing else. The promise of new experiences, decreased responsibility and, dare I say it, relaxation is intoxicating to say the least. I even look forward to the bickering of the close quarters of the car or the arguing over directions. Yup. It’s just that good.
I suppose that this particular vacation seems even sweeter, almost to the point of bittersweet because of the realization that we have not had the freedom of choice to travel for such a long time. It also hits me as I hear my almost adult daughters laugh in the back seat. I am so thankful that they still want to come with us and that they are still engaged in our lives. I hear stories all the time from parents that they can’t remember the last time they got to travel with their kids because of lack of interest, conflicting schedules, etc. I tuck that nugget of information away in my mind and hang on just a little tighter, without being too obvious, of course. It just reminds me to prioritize our time together a little more than I do.
The other fascinating aspect of vacations, especially ones with car travel is that they open up the opportunity for great, uninterrupted, sometimes even cathartic, conversation. Issues are discussed, long hidden feelings explored, insights gained, etc. These things are interspersed with a sprinkle of the bickering that I was mentioning earlier as well. I am not trying to imply that the whole trip is bliss all the time…lol. No trip is THAT good. Still, the good moments usually outweigh the bad for us and that is a blessing for which I am grateful. Our little family has grown in so many ways over the years and I think these vacations have been a key part of it. It’s not about the money you spend or where you’re headed. It’s about the time you spend together. So, here’s a toast to the investment of family vacation time well spent. Cheers!
Dr. Katz
