We just returned from a family vacation—a five-day cruise with stops in Jamaica and Grand Cayman—to celebrate J’s graduation from high school*. We’ve been planning the trip for almost a year now. It was phenomenal, but I’ll have more on that in a separate post as soon as I achieve some sense of re-entry into reality. Anyway…
I posted a picture on Facebook as we were setting sail, and one of my friends** commented something along the lines of how I deserved to go because I work so hard. Though I fully appreciate the sentiment behind her words and I am happy to have a reputation for being a hard worker because I do indeed work my booty off (if only that were literally true!), I know so many people who also work hard on their own stuff and could really use a fantastically luxurious vacation, but who can’t—for a variety of reasons—just pick up the phone or open up a web browser and plan one. I don’t look at my travels as something I’ve earned or something I deserve: that feels wrong to me, even a little bit entitled. (Again, I FULLY appreciate what my friend meant.)
The way I look at it can best be described by telling you what I was feeling on the first night of our cruise, at the dinner table with my husband and boys. As we toasted J’s graduation, someone said something about Father’s Day being the following day. Basking in the Happy, I grinned as my inner voice reminded me that my family has so much to celebrate, especially this month.
A high school graduate.
A husband and father who works so hard at his job yet stays deeply involved at home.
A twenty-first birthday, today (D’s).
I take none of it for granted, and today, as my first-born turns twenty-one, I close my eyes and count my blessings. It takes a long time and I don’t have enough fingers and toes for all of them.
I am a lucky girl. Life is good.
Have you counted your blessings lately?
*Much like we went to Germany when D graduated.
**I deleted her comment so as not to “out” her, so no need to look for it! Heh.
4 Comments
Grandma W
I’m so happy you had a great trip. Love it when a trip works out and you enjoy yourself. See you soon.
Love
Grandma W
Shannon
Happy birthday, graduation, Father’s Day, return from vacation to you and your family! Glad to have you back..
Tara R.
So many wonderful things to celebrate! Congrats to J and good luck to him as an upcoming college freshman. Congrats to D, you must be so proud of the exceptional young man he has become. Congrats to Jim, wow… just looking at his sons is proof enough of his success as a father. And to you, and your beautiful family. You all deserve to be celebrated.
TheNextMartha
Awe. So sweet. <3