Bright sunny days, mixed with cold, chilly nights. The flowers haven’t quite started blooming and winter still leaves its mark. But hints of spring are starting to emerge from the cold. The days are longer, and the trees are budding.
With the weather changing, I find myself daydreaming of vacation. A few weeks ago, I took down Christmas (yes, we wait until after the Super Bowl-because winter and all that comes with it is loved in our house) and re-decorated for spring. I added bright daisies to my dining room table and entryway. They wave to me every day when I get home from work. Simple, small flowers have me dreaming of high mountain valleys and snow-capped peaks.
As a child, preparation for vacation was almost as fun as vacation itself, and it started early in spring. You see, we weren’t the family that went to a different place every year. We were the family that found a place we loved and kept going back, year after year. We found a place that felt like a second home and that served as a get away from the norms of everyday life. It was a place where beauty merged with quiet, peaceful release and allowed us to focus on one another. The Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Family vacation meetings started long before the scheduled trip, which usually took place in early June. Mom would make the reservations and soon what we called “Colorado fever” set in. Planning commenced, usually with my brother and I daydreaming about a special activity, like horseback riding or a special night at our favorite (but more expensive) hotel in Trinidad, CO that had a big indoor pool and a view of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain range out the back windows. It was the one time a year we combined our allowances to serve one common purpose. Dreams turned to reality as we learned the value of a dollar saved.
Memories of my childhood vacations are some of my most precious. To this day, the sound of a rushing creek, or the quiet solitude of a mountain top makes me feel safe. Because in the rush of the creek I hear my family’s laughter. I hear the ponderings of my ten-year-old self, wondering why the river flows in a certain way and the gentle answer of my mother’s voice telling me about the Creator who made it to do so. By the river I hear the echo of our voices singing hymns to God, and my dad’s steady voice reading and teaching us scripture. There were solemn moments of learning life lessons, and belly laughs at crazy jokes only the four of us would understand.
Special memories abound from my childhood, and now flow over to adulthood. In those same mountains, my hubby and I have started to create our own memories. And while we may not always go to the same place, we have started prioritizing vacations together. And so right now I am dreaming. Dreaming of the day we can escape from every day routine and take time just to connect with each other. After all, isn’t that what life is all about? Human connection. 100 years of living is worth nothing without the people we love. Are you dreaming of vacation? What are your favorite vacation memories?