Vacation Reprise

How does a vacation to foreign shores bring change to mind and heart? Where’s the value?

Being there is the thing! Being immersed daily in the location fills all the senses the way that videos, pictures and descriptions just can't do.

The foreign shore I am referring to specifically in this case is the city of Rome.

I've been considering how to respond when people ask, how was your trip? other than, it was great.

I've been asking myself questions like, was it worth it? What did I want from it? Did I get what I wanted?

To simplify analyzing what I wanted, I have divided it into two streams.

One, to see first hand the accumulation of art, paintings, statues, frescoes, mosaics, in museums and churches, monuments and parks, and in innumerable places all over the historic centre that have collected over the centuries. 

Two, to experience Roman life - the general ambience - culture, language, weather, use of historic buildings, landscape, mazes of streets, walking, bussing, shops, food, restaurants, etc. I know it’s the touristy Roman life but still considerably different than home.

Yes, I enjoyed both! And yes, it was worth the time, effort and cost.

This time more than ever I added identifying and appreciating the amazing talent, gifting and creativeness that comes from God our Creator. We tend to focus on a few well known names but I became aware of how many unnamed artists and craftspeople would have been involved in all that I saw. It takes a huge number of people to build and contribute to any one of the amazing places we toured.

Also I appreciated that cathedrals – even though they are different from my church background - were ultimately built to honour Almighty God and were filled with beautiful things, always with Jesus and the cross front and centre. I noted that the special chapels or memorial stones that featured Biblical persons or historical persons who have been designated as saints are a way of honouring and remembering "that great cloud of witnesses” who have gone before (Hebrews 12).

For what purpose do we travel if not to enlarge our understanding and stir our souls?! To allow new experiences to have an impact on us! To learn about how we are globally different yet the same! And how the same God is Lord over all!

 "Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Post Vacation Vantage Point

Post vacation

Home again!
Nothing left but some snapshots and memories
All in. All done.
Or is it?

Ahhh... The comforts of home! Hugs from loved ones! My own bed at night!

However... there's nothing like being around the globe, away from home for a couple weeks, to cause one to re-examine everything.  For a little while, from a different vantage point, I have seen life ... others ... myself …

While reviewing the trip via the pictures taken through the lens of the camera, I'm also reviewing it through the lens in my mind -- doing that a bit more this trip than previous ones for some reason.

Having been on a high of busyness, challenges and stimulation of all sorts, one hits the mundane ground of home with rather a thump.

As I start picking up the threads of my life again, I'm examining each one carefully, not only personally but as a global citizen. It causes me to consider making some changes.

What's the point of traveling if it leaves one unchanged?!

Here's a list of some of my thoughts in no particular order.

Pre-Vacation Syndrome

PRE VACATION SYNDROME

A perfect storm of excitement and anxiety!

Can you relate?

It's a few days before the much anticipated date circled in red on the calendar. The researching, planning and booking is done. A few new things have been purchased and wait to be packed in the suitcases which have been retrieved from storage. We've arranged for the house to be looked after while we're gone. What's left but to wait for the day and finally the moment of departure! Nothing much seems worth doing right now. I drift into a mode of suspended animation. At least that's what happened this time. It's either - I'm ready too early, it's silly to pack yet, or it's, I haven't got a thing done, I'll never be ready to go!

Here are the stages as I have experienced them.

And you?

Tourist in our own Home Town

Recently hubby and I went on another outing in our continuing saga of playing tourist in our own home town which is actually a large metropolitan area. But if we hadn't had a voucher which was soon to expire we probably would have backed out and that's what got me pondering.

Why is it so hard to get out to what we generally call touristy places near home?

Why does it seem easier to be adventurous when on vacation in a foreign country than near home in own language, own currency, own culture, in own car?

West Coast Psalm

It's too easy to take our beautiful West Coast for granted!  Having traded my prairie roots for this coastal region, I should know better!  But living where I do between the mountains and the ocean, usually it’s just another ho hum day. A trip by ferry to an island destination is just the thing to reopen my jaded eyes.

Happiest Place

I think I had forgotten how much fun it is to act like a kid!  

We just spent a few days with some of our family including little granddaughters in Disneyland and California Adventure Park!  For a few days, real life hardly existed.  We tried out pretty much all of the rides and attractions, enjoyed the parades, and we cheered and jeered as we watched live performances.  It was marvellous!

But – knowing me – I spent time reflecting somewhat on the big entertainment theme.  Shouldn’t the money have been spent feeding or housing the poor instead of building bigger, better and more technological rides?  Shouldn’t I have donated to a worthy cause - charity or church - the amount of hard earned cash I  spent on the tickets, not to mention the hotel and airfare? Isn’t the whole thing crass, degenerate, carnal – a monument to the gods of entertainment?

On the other hand, I can see it as a venue to bring families together to play together.   A tribute to the creativity and the abilities God placed within us. I don't believe God is dour - think of some of the imagery in the Psalms - the beauty and creativity in nature - "gladness" is mentioned quite often in scripture.  And I am very grateful to God for the resources He has blessed us with so that we could go.

It is a great place to shed the cares of life, just for a little while - whoop with glee roaring down the roller coaster – grin riding along with a child on Dumbo the flying elephant -- watch with pride as the 2 little girls dressed in their princess best eagerly await a lunch event with real live princesses – scream while getting splashed at the end of a ride – share a bag of popcorn or cotton candy – recall going to similar places with friends and family years before – enjoy retelling the Disney and old folk stories – talk about watching the more recent movies that inspired the theme attraction…

We had such fun!  Nobody had to eat their vegetables or go to work!  We trooped around with no particular plan in mind and our only concern was to fit in as much as we could. My highlight was watching the little girls’ beaming faces on the rides and as they met Mickey, Minnie and all the other characters!  We’ll talk about the experience and enjoy the photos for years to come!  

For a few days – for us – it was the happiest place on earth!! 

Views from a Caribbean vacation

During a recent Caribbean vacation, I found myself noticing clouds and shoes!  Of course, palm trees and beach and waves and even fish in the shallows, but most definitely clouds and shoes!