oh, How I Have missed vacations

Since Covid-19 hit our world, the ability to take trips and vacations has been removed from most of our lives. I for one miss it.

I miss the research and discussions about where we should go on vacation. I miss the excitement of finding the right location and choosing accommodations. I miss the joy of booking a vacation knowing that one day in the future we will be at the place where the photos were taken. I miss the eager anticipation as I would pack for the vacation. I miss the busyness of cleaning the whole house before we leave for vacation because I wanted to return to a spotless home with no chores to do as a way to extend my vacation. And then I miss the vacation.

I miss getting there. Whether by car or plane, the travel experience has always been one I enjoy. The hustle of making my way through a crowded airport with all the security protocols and awkwardness of maneuvering with a rolling suitcase in tow makes me feel important. The secret happiness at conquering miles when we travel by car makes me feel as if I’ll get to add my initials to the high score page on the arcade video game I’ve been secretly playing in my mind as I drive hundreds of miles to my destination. I miss all the sights and sounds and smells of travel.

I miss how it feels to check in at the service desk and treated, again, like I am important. Like I am someone who can have assistance, should I want it. If I don’t want to carry my luggage, someone will do that for me. If I don’t want to park my car, someone will do that for me. If I don’t want to make my own reservations for dining or entertainment, someone will do that for me. If I don’t want to clean my living environment, someone will do that for me. It is a nice feeling to be waited on and helped when I want it and I miss that.

I miss seeing new sights. I miss experiencing new things. No matter how nice my home is or where I live, it isn’t the same as the first time I saw something new or learned something new. I miss having new things in my life that aren’t possessions but experiences. Being at home to flatten the curve has not afforded me the opportunity to have new experiences that fill my life with goodness. I miss that goodness.

I miss relaxing. Although being home most of 2020 meant I had more time, it wasn’t a relaxing time. It was a very stressful time. As much as I craved human interaction, I dreaded talking about the pandemic. I dreaded talking about the state of the US. I dreaded talking about the state of the world. I missed having conversations about our individual lives instead of conversations that sounded more like pundits and correspondents discussing a current crisis.

I miss how it feels to sleep in and order room service. I miss how it feels to have no agenda and anything I want to do at my fingertips. I miss how it feels to be in the presence of others who are in a similar state of bliss as me. How our combined communal blissfulness makes everyone just a little bit more blissful than they were on their own.

I miss making memories. I miss seeing my sons smile as the experienced something for the first time or for the hundredth time. I miss the way my husband’s eyes look when he is enjoying the moment and not thinking about a task. I miss capturing it all with photos and videos and souvenirs.

As I look back on 2020 and fully embrace 2021, I am excited to be going on my first vacation in over 2 years. I am excited to welcome back into my life, like an old friend I haven’t seen in long time, vacations. Oh how I have missed vacations!