The wind is blowing a cool breeze, the ocean is playing a sweet melody and I am standing barefoot at the edge of the ocean with my 1 year old son in my arms. Yesterday, as we drove the 12 hours from Washington, DC to Hilton Head, South Carolina, I repeatedly asked myself why I was taking this long drive, with two young kids in the back seat of my car. A few days ago, my husband confirmed that he would have to cut our vacation short to head to Texas for training. This meant that I would have to do all the driving on the return trip. I am not a fan of driving, so why not just cancel the trip? Standing on the edge of the ocean, I discovered why I came. I felt joyful, at peace, alive and free to exhale.
I am so used to my daily routine of getting the kids ready for school and our nanny share, sometimes having a bite for breakfast, speeding through traffic to get to work on time, working a full day, picking up the kids, doing evening chores, having playtime with the kids, getting them ready for bed, and getting up and doing it all over again, that I didn't even realize that I was not exhaling. As I write this, I am sitting at a table in our little cottage looking out at the beautiful grounds. I have many of the same responsibilities, but for the next five days, I have time to stop and enjoy my time with the kids and inhale the ocean air.
For anyone who is thinking about skipping the vacation this year, remember that a change of scenery awakens the soul and it allows the mind to embrace new possibilities. When your mind is uncluttered and your soul is at peace, you are free to contemplate how to get that promotion at work, how to carve out more time for the family, how to finally find the time to unclutter your house, how to get your financial house in order and how to engage in spiritual activities that feed the soul. I can't wait to dip my feet in the water again tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment