I have recently spent a lot of time fantasizing what it
would be like to get a break.
Living in such close quarters certainly makes quiet time to myself a
valued commodity. I love my
children, however, they are little energy vampires, and by the time I put them
to bed I am completely wiped out.
I remember watching “Date Night” and Tina Fey’s character described a
mother’s fantasy. She wanted to
eat lunch in a hotel room with no one touching her. Right now that sounds perfect…
When you ask a parent if they are taking a vacation, please assume they are taking it without children. Going out of town with children qualifies as a "trip", not a vacation. If you are those nauseating parents that have "vacations" with their children and couldn't imagine having fun without them, I don't want to hear about it. My children are a lot of fun, but coordinating naps, sleeping arrangements, potty time and food for a 6, 3, and 2 year old is a logistical nightmare. Goodness knows I forget things at home, and when we leave the house it is even worse. No, for me a vacation is without children...and in this case without a husband too.
My dream vacation:
Day 1: Arrive at my destination with the knowledge that my kids
are healthy, happy, and well cared for.
I would then like to turn off my cell phone for the remainder of the
trip. I would like to remove all
the clocks and disable my email.
I don’t want anyone or anything telling me what to do. I would like to spend the rest of this
day in silence. I don’t want to
talk or have anyone talk to me. I
want to be still and quiet and read a book.
Day 2: On my second day of vacation I want to do something
outside. I love hiking and I would
love to try kayaking. I want to do
this until I am too tired to continue.
Day 3: The third ideal day would just consist of
eating. I would like really good
food where I don’t even consider the calories. I would also like to go to a beauty salon where I can get my hair cut. My hair is currently a nightmare.
Day 4: Take a really long yoga class and get a massage. Return home to a clean house.
I am a simple person.
I don’t need anything fancy or expensive to make me happy. Right now silence and stillness are
worth more to me than anything I could buy. This has been the most difficult year of my life. I am grateful for all of my blessings,
but I am aware that all of the change and sacrifice have taken a toll on
me. When the tide turns there will
be new difficulties to replace the old ones, and I hope to be able to accept
them with grace, if I am not in the loony bin by then.
