I’m trying to adapt back to life after vacation. Adapting has never been an easy thing for me; I do well with routine, and when I have to readjust, it throws me off. I have come to understand that being able to adapt as life changes is essential to finding happiness and peace, and I am better at this than I used to be, but it can still be a struggle for me.
I’ve also realized that I can’t vacation like many people. While I enjoy the adventures and I even manage to find some time to relax, like every other experience and interaction in my life, vacation has much deeper meaning for me than mere fun. As I see new things that my everyday life doesn’t offer – new places, different people from different places, and unique landscapes and creatures – I reflect deeply. Some people tell me not to overthink everything, to just enjoy the moment, but this is just how I am built, and honestly, I feel that my deeply reflective nature is one of the things that makes me special.
I tend to focus on the big picture of life, and while I admit that taking notice of the details that each moment has to offer is important too, I always bring each of those details back to that place where I am thinking about the deeper things like love and growth and finding peace and happiness. After all, it’s the little details that make up the big picture, so what some people need to understand is that even though I philosophize everything, I am still enjoying the moment.
While we were on our cruise, we had a beach day in Haiti, a snorkeling day in St. Thomas, an exploration day in Puerto Rico, and a shopping day in the Bahamas. I managed to connect with a few new people, even if it was just for a few hours of our lives. Learning how to connect again has been something I have been working hard on, since I have spent so much of my life disconnected. As I have intentionally worked on this, I have come to understand what connection looks and feels like. It doesn’t mean being everyone’s BFF, it just means being authentic and kind, bringing the best of yourself to whoever you are with in every moment.
One woman that we met from Ontario Canada named Paula, stands out; she shared herself with us in such a raw, open way, that I felt she gave me a piece of her soul. She had lost her husband not long ago, had won a battle with cancer, and was on the cruise celebrating being cancer-free as well as her 70th birthday. Michelle and I were the first people to get to wish her a happy birthday, and she told us that she will never forget that. She teared up as she reflected that it is difficult to understand how, “sometimes strangers know how to treat you in ways that our own family doesn’t.” Our interactions with Paula will always stay with me and remind me what it feels like to connect authentically with someone.
We were also lucky enough to enjoy pools and water slides and hot tubs, spend some time with friends, take in some amazing entertainment, and have some delicious meals. While I am grateful for each experience our vacation brought us, through it all, one overarching thought persisted more than anything; I love the life we have at home and I can’t wait to return to continue to work toward manifesting the exact vision we have for our home and life.
Some people go on vacation, see all the bright, shiny, luxurious things that other realities seem to offer, and wish they didn’t have to go back to their everyday life. That is not the case for me. On the surface, tropical places might seem more appealing than the frigid temperatures we will be getting here in Massachusetts in the next few days. But I love the change of seasons that my home offers. The hush of snow-covered evergreens and mountains brings something profound that a tropical location never could. Most of us have also fallen into the trap of taking a superficial glance at others’ lives, comparing them to our own, and deciding there is something there we don’t possess and want. While there is nothing wrong with using new experiences and seeing what exists out there to help you decide what you want, remember, it is just as important to use those moments to have gratitude for what you already have and make decisions about what you don’t want. While going on a fancy vacation is nice, I witnessed a lot of things I don’t want: excess, noise, bustle, and the lack of substance that tends to come with the western culture. I am proud to say I choose a simple life with my wife and my cats, words and nature, and genuine connections with other folks who share my values and enjoy my existence.
~ Peace and Love, Tracey
©Tracey Love, 2023. All rights reserved.
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