Vacation
Everyday on vacation feels like a free pass to do whatever you feel like. You embrace the freedom the deepest way you know how and you hope for peace inside, even if just for a short time. Here at the beach life just seems to breath a little slower, even with three little people in tow.
I always dream of vacation at the beach as being a time of peaceful reflection and relaxation. A time of gorging on sweets and delicious foods that I know have no nutritional value. A time of shopping for little treasures that will remind me of the beach all year long. I also dream of having tons of time to paint and create. To be inspired by the sea, the sun, and the sand and all the treasures that those three things lay before me. I dream of sitting with my kids and doing creative and fun things together. Or photo-graphing them on the beach. Just gathering all these savory moments to relish in later.
But ever since we have been able to afford a vacation at the beach, we’ve had kids. There has always been little people to clean up and put to bed. Little ones to think of when you want to eat ice cream after dark. Or someone else to think of when entering one of those quaint little beach shops with goodies beckoning to you from the store-front window. And for the most part, anything with a toddler is trying and somewhat difficult to accomplish. I know my baby won’t always be a baby, but getting through these first two years can be downright frustrating.
But somehow we make it fun. We forget the rules. We feed them junk food more often than not and take them places they will love to see. We spend money on those silly games until someone wins. We ride on rinky-dink rides and haul a bunch a of crud from one end of creation to the other.
My ideal notions of a peaceful and inspirational vacation have changed over the years. And for now I really love having my kids around to do fun things with, but I sometimes get grumpy that vacation is anything but that at times. Nevertheless, one day I wil get my peaceful vacation where I will paint, read books, and shop for beach town treasures. But I will probably spend a lot of my time reflecting on the days I am living right now.
So, with that in mind, I will rest now, knowing tomorrow is sure to be another busy day of “vacation.”
