We find ourselves on the final day of the month of April. I am not going to lie, this was a difficult month, and one that we are all glad to say good-bye to. As we close off this month, the realization that a new adventure is just around the corner has us all growing giddy with anticipation, hope, and the tiniest amount of unease.
Unease. It is not an emotion I wish to focus on; however, the way in which 2024 has been going for us, it is a little difficult not to feel a sense of unease. You know that saying Hope for the best, prepare for the worst? I feel like that has been our motto for 2024. Does anyone else feel the same? Is anyone else wishing to bury their head in the sand and wait until the clock strikes 2025? It truly has been that type of year. Just when one issue resolves itself, another random and upsetting issue arises. We are all doing our best to take it all in stride and not become too overwhelmed, but there are moments when we succumb to the pressure. We are feeling the cracks in our tight knit family of three.
This vacation – this forthcoming family adventure – is desperately needed. We need to step away from our daily lives and the unexpected stresses. We need an exciting and wondrous experience distanced from home and away from routine. We need to leap into an adventure! And so …
I am overwhelmed at the knowledge that, after more than a decade, I am finally returning to my old hometown, New York City! I have kept very busy these past few days building an itinerary – a list of places to see and things to do – grouped in neighbourhoods for ease of transit, so as to maximize our time in NYC.
This particular vacation resonates strongly with me. I finally get to share my New York with my son. I get to show him where I lived, where I studied, and all my favourite haunts (some are, sadly, lost to the past). I get to share my long-ago experiences with my own child. It is all very close to my heart. However, it isn’t just about my New York. Both my husband and son are equally excited. There are some landmarks that are near and dear to my husband’s heart that he wishes to share with our son; and there are new places to discover together. We’re building this adventure as a family, sharing ideas, desires, and plans together.
And so, I am not going to think of all that can go wrong leading up to our adventure. I am going to focus my attention and energy on all that can be experienced – discovering, exploring, and building new memories – together. I am going to relish my time with my family, finding joy and wonder in places both new and familiar.
I will leave my stresses behind and give myself permission to take a vacation from it all. That is, after all, the purpose of a vacation. Right? Sometimes, I think we forget that we are permitted to enjoy a holiday. It’s moments such as these – adventures – that enrich our lives, bring us closer together, and make us all a little more worldly, and perhaps, a little more compassionate too.
So here’s to a wonderful new adventure on the horizon.
A New Adventure Awaits. Published by Crystal Joy Hall
Insert Image by lkloeppel
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