When I was in 3rd grade I wanted to be the spelling bee champ. I practiced and did everything I could to prepare...the day the class bee came around we all lined up along the window side of the room and took our turns. One person after another returned to their seats and I was cruising to what I thought would be a victory! There were just a few kids left and it was my turn...Nicole your word is "VACATION"...and as I started I could feel the confidence leave me as I stuttered and proceeded to misspell a very seemingly simple word.
I remember everything up to that point...then blackness...then the words "Please take your seat".
I was crushed. I thought I was a failure, a disappointment. Truth is...I had just made a mistake.
Flash forward many years and you see me with my messy life. You find that I have not taken a vacation in a very long time! I worked summers in college. When I started working I had jobs that had "summer" components to them. I have taken holidays to visit the family or small trips here and there. I even would do volunteer work in the summer with a fabulous program for girls. Not really understanding the value or necessity of a good ol' vacation!
The truth is that I just did not know the word: VACATION. I thought it had to be fancy, expensive and far away. I thought it was jammed packed with sites and plans.
Just like 3rd grade, I had made a mistake. One that could be changed!
When I first moved to Pittsburgh we talked about doing a family vacation. I had not done a family vacation since I was a kid. So the thought of this was a bit overwhelming. However, the family takes vacation in the summer. I can't do that! (another mistake on my part!) The family kept pushing back and pushing back the date until this year it was time for me to join them for vacation.
Then prices went too high and plans changed and gas prices went up, again. Blah, blah, blah!
A plan was made. The family piled into cars and headed east for a few days. There was good food, there was bad food, there was laughter...oh, the laughter! There was a bit of running into to close roads and downed bridges and urgent needs for bathrooms! (Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle!) There was a roll-away bed and too many people jammed into one room. It was about caravanning across the state to a far of land with a 3 year old who was fascinated by the little things...swimming in a hotel pool with other kids and climbing on rocks! And ice cream! Lots of ice cream!
Then we came home to do some more...serious work on vacation now back at my mom's...bubbles are hard work! Then there was tag with swords...dangerous work. Oh, and pool time was a joy! There were fires and smores. And firefly catching! Lots of fireflies! Laughter and squealing and joy!
Even a rainy day could not stop the vacation train of relaxing and enjoyment.
Slowing down, disconnecting from work, connecting with myself and what is important to me has never felt better.
So much to process and move forward with after these fabulous 10 days! For now here is the start of my lessons learned! I may not have completed all the things I wanted to on these days off. And yet somehow I know in my heart and in my head that what I got from this time was so much more than I could have ever bargained for or planned for or had enough money to buy! PRICELESS!!!
V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!
Now I know!
For that I am grateful!
