When my Sabbatical first got approved I felt like a little kid standing at the entrance of a giant toy store, being told that he (or she) was allowed to check out all the aisles and choose a bunch of his favorite toys. In my story, the giant toy store was the world. I finally had the opportunity to choose places to go, things to do, and people to visit. And, most importantly, I had the unique blessing of playing all summer long with my favorite real life dolls. Unlike with regular vacation, for once I didn't have the limitation of trying to pack every fun thing in just a handful of days. That was liberating to say the least.
The kid would probably first run around through all the isles, pinching him or herself, and wondering where to start first. He would probably take something off the shelf only to put it right back thinking "No. Maybe not this one. I bet there is one much better over there". That was also me. Trying to decide where to go can be hard when there are so many places where you have never been. I have been lucky to travel some, but the world is vast and there are so many more things I would like to see.
Regardless of where I ended up for our long family trip, I was hoping my sabbatical would include some kind of a girl trip. With my sister being pregnant, and saving her days for when the baby comes, I knew that wouldn't be a choice. And with most of our friends being busy with their own kids - or not in a position to finance a trip - my chances looked slim. So when my friend Carissa told me that she and her little sister were going to Seattle for three days, and asked if I wanted in, I knew that was my chance. I have never been to Seattle, but it was one of the places I have been wanting to visit. The trip was planned for the weekend right after my sister's birthday, but since I would be here for her actual birthday, I thought that would be Ok. Unfortunately I was mistaken, and she wasn't happy with me at the beginning, but I think we got over it after an argument and I felt like I could go ahead with it.
Since the trip was also planned for 3 weeks after the start of my Sabbatical, I also thought it would be a good break - both for the girls and I - from being together 24x7. Unfortunately I was also mistaken in that aspect, and it was harder to leave them than I originally anticipated. Even though we are normally not used to being together for that long, we have quickly grown accustomed to it. It's funny how that works. But the reality is that we can't always be together all day, every day, and having some personal space, mixed with adult conversations, stress-free meals, and time to relax on your own, is also healthy.
As I sit here on the flight, peacefully writing this blog entry, I am excited about our low key plans in Seattle. We rented a car to get around, but I don't have to drive it. We are staying at a nice hotel, but I didn't have to book it. And we are having some nice meals, but I didn't have to do the research. I was able to give my opinion, but I didn't have to be the one in charge. And that is really nice to have once in a while.
Be nice to me Seattle, and maybe I'll be back.
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