In my experience, which amounts to nearly 40 years on this planet, I’ve noticed that we spend a lot of time living the every day life and not near enough time doing something special for ourselves and our family. Certainly we try to pepper our lives with special moments, we bar-be-que on the patio, take the kids to the pool, go for a trip to the zoo, family movie/game night, etc., but those are clearly the exception, not the norm. Most of our days are mired in repetition and tedium. We wake up, eat breakfast, brush our teeth, commute, work 10+ hour salaried days, commute home, eat dinner with the family, tuck the kids, try to squeeze a little time in for ourself and our significant other, go to bed (for way less than 8 hours a night), wake up – rinse, wash, repeat. We do this dance every day for years on end, and if you let it, it will slowly make you jaded, cynical and generally a horrible person to be around. You have to break the cycle and go somewhere different, and do things with your family that allows you to put the rest of your life on hold for a week or so. Go on vacation, it’s good for your soul and allows you more time to relax, unwind and be the person you’d always be if it weren’t for the pesky job you have to keep to pay the bills you have to pay. Just pack your bags and go somewhere, anywhere, and have some fun. See something beautiful and uncommon, like this:
I just returned from a cruise with my wife and children, and it was a life affirming experience. Just a wonderful time for all. We got to eat breakfast in bed each morning, together as a family. There were plenty of shows to take in – singing, dancing, magic, variety, burlesque (no kids for that one), interactive, etc. The weather was glorious, a beautiful mix of sunny and partly cloudy with the temperature hanging around in the the mid 70s low 80s all week long. We could spend time together as a family, playing games on the deck (bean bag toss, table tennis, putt putt golf, shuffleboard, basketball, etc.), swimming, dining, taking photos, visiting exotic ports, or relaxing in our cabin. We could also do our own thing, as the boat is so big and has so much going on that you can do as much or as little as you like and still have a blast, I personally loved bellying up to the Piano Bar and singing louder than the performer.
The mission here is simple, get the heck out of Dodge and take your loved ones with you, even if just for a weekend. And it doesn’t have to be a cruise, it can be something simple, like stopping at historical markers, checking them out and boogieing on down the road. Go to a festival, visit distant family, check out other cities, visit another state, or whatever works within your budget. The point is, get out there and spend some uninterrupted time with your family. Life is too short to only spend in the drudgery of work, bills, and the daily limitations on your time. Go have some fun, you deserve it. Also, this:
Remember to schedule some fun time in the near future, you deserve it!
