Iām sitting on the back porch on our first day of family vacation this year, 2026, before anyone else has gotten up. Iāve seen a family of deer go by, a really black squirrel, and listened to woodpeckers and most all the quiet.
These family vacations have become such a blessing to me. Sandusky during Covid, Tennessee after Grandma got over her cancer treatement and your mom and dad had divorced, Orlando when these vacations had become something of a tradition, St. Thomas when your mom and step-dad got married. Each one different, none of them perfect, but always fond memories and laughs.
When I was young like you, our vacations always centered around traveling to see family. My sister and brotherās had moved a long distance away from my mom and dad so we would hit the road every summer to visit my siblings and nephews and nieces. I only flew once because it was too expensive back then. Every other time weād drive 12-14 hours (sometimes in a single day) with my mom driving. Sheād often bring a friend and my little brother and me would sit in the back seat and look out the windows for anything interesting; license plates, red cars, giant statues, corn growingā¦.. We didnāt have tablets, phones, DVD players, heck, we didnāt even have any way to play music even.
My eyes are misting up from not being out in the outdoors much anymore, you know, allergies. It couldnāt be the nostalgia. I sure hope that you have fond memories of these times for the rest of your life because pretty much everything else is just filling up time. Love ya, now letās go out and have some fun and make some memories.