Prescience

I just got back from a family vacation, a week at the beach.  We had fun but Tropical Storm Debby arrived the same day we did and with four kids under 6, there was always a crisis.   Somebody was always stressed for some reason or another.   Some cried, some whined, and then there were the kids.

I think when we plan these things, our vision is for perfect weather, beautiful scenery, and absence of conflict.   The food is just what everyone wants and the world is perfect.

The reality is usually quite different.   We burn the toast, run out of milk, and the toilet runs over because of something that shouldn't have been put in there.

In my opinion, that's part of what makes these trips special.  I mean, come on...what do you remember about your vacation 5 years ago?  Do you remember the  sunsets and the camaraderie or do you remember the flight delays (which forced everyone to build a living room in your own corner of the airport terminal) or the time you had to make a meal out of just what was in the fridge because the rain was coming down too hard to venture a repeat trip to the grocery store?

Do you remember that you simply found a way to get along?  Or played games for hours because the car broke down and you couldn't get out of the hotel?

We simply don't remember the easy times as readily.  It's the mistakes and problems that we encounter that really stick in our minds.

I bet your family starts lots of conversations just like ours does.  "Remember the time..." is the precursor to many a fine discussion.  

Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of wonderful trips and this one was most excellent.  I've been blessed to travel a lot and have enjoyed times far and wide.   My family gets along well and we laugh and enjoy each other's company.

But to tell you that they have all been lovely and without conflict is a stretch.  

I think that's the way life is.   We might want everything to be perfect and smooth and always easy but that really isn't real.   Life is filled with obstacles and difficulties.  

Life isn't all about those majestic mountains and walks in the park, hand in hand.  It's not about everything being easy.  Life doesn't mean that you'll never be hurt, that you will never have an argument, that everything will always be perfect.

In fact, that may not be the way it needs to be.   What would we learn if life never taught us the lessons to be learned about dealing with difficulty, hardship, and conflict? 

Life is about saying what you mean and meaning what you say.   About treating others as you want to be treated.  It's about seeing others for who they are and not what they've done for you or what they have.

Life is about who you love, who you trust, and who is there for you at the end of the day.