Relaxing and Appreciating Home After a Vacation
We’ve heard it time and again, “I need a vacation from my vacation!” That seems to ring true every time I arrive home after a long trip traveling abroad or even within the United States. Hours of driving, hours of flying, hours of packing, and cleaning, then unpacking and cleaning all seem to be a week of work in itself! When you arrive back home from a long trip away, try to find ways to recuperate after all the hustle and bustle of travel.
Nothing Like a Warm Bath and Your Own Bed:
It happens almost the same way every time we arrive home. It seems to always be late at night. We stagger to our front doors, sometimes with tired kids still fast asleep. We fumble to turn off alarms, greet and check on pets to see that they were cared for, unpack luggage and toiletries, make a quick meal for hungry kids and then...enjoy the long-awaited bath! All of us get our turns in the tub. Fresh sheets await as we all slide into our familiar beds and pillows. There is nothing like home.
The Next Morning:
Shuffling down the stairs and into the kitchen, I view a pile of luggage and items to put away. Opening an empty fridge reminds me we need to go grocery shopping for fresh food. Coffee first. Must have coffee first. Finding whatever non-perishable foods that still remain in the cabinets, I whipped up a quick breakfast before setting off to the post office and grocery store.
All seems the same, yet it always feels odd to resume normalcy after a long stay away. Same stores, same roads, same errands. All is the same as though life didn’t skip a beat while you were gone. Yet, somehow my normal routines seem to welcome me back. Somehow it seems that I was missed a bit - at least by my pets.
Surprised By the Daylight:
As I return from shopping and drive along my long dirt driveway, I am always surprised what a week of growth can do to a garden. Plants proliferate along with weeds sprawling out of control. I sigh in both amazement and frustration that my plants are doing so well and ...so are the weeds. The next big task comes to mind: weed the garden. As I contemplate the looks of my lawn I consider whether I will need to use a lawnmower or a hay baler to tackle the job. I suppose the lawnmower may still hack it. Even my yard seems to beg for attention by showing me how much I have neglected it. Yes, even my plants missed me.
Retreating to My Favorite Place:
After groceries are put away, laundry runs through and lawn and garden are attended to, I recline on my front porch and admire the view I know well. My front yard. I missed it so much. It is as though many aspects of my homestead waited and missed me almost as much as I missed it. Crickets chirp, leaves sway in the breeze and a quiet stillness settles over the family as we quietly reacquaint ourselves with the life we know well. The tranquil peace of home envelopes me.
I ponder why I even left. But then, I reflect on the refreshing energy and novelty of experiences our fun vacation offered our family, and I remember why we ventured out - far from home. The change of scenery was refreshing. The vacation was fun. We all enjoyed it. But it is so nice to be back home. The familiar sights and smells of home are like no other. We are at home. In spite of all the fun we had while away, this is the best place to be.
