Last week was spring break around here, and it was so interesting for me to hear about the plans people were making this year versus the last few years. You know, back when money wasn’t as tight for everyone, when jobs weren’t being threatened and the stock market wasn’t so scary.
Some people who always head to a beach were staying home, others who usually take trips were deciding that nearby water parks or weekend jaunts were enough this time around. Some took it in stride and some were seriously disappointed.
And then I found this old photo and thought, “It’s all about perspective.”
That’s a photo Mom took of Dad with us six kids at a hotel pool in Fort Dodge, Iowa. We lived in Algona and the trip to Fort Dodge, an hour away, was like taking a trip to another universe. I mean, they had a McDonald’s for crying out loud! [Algona has since grown with the times and sports a fast food place… but back then it was a HUGE deal.]
The term vacation was different back then… and I don’t think it was just us, either. I think it was the culture. We went to the lakes skiing in the summers and sometimes, like in this photo, we would take a winter break, drive to Fort Dodge and spend a night in a hotel so we could go swimming at the pool. I remember feeling absolutely decadent… going somewhere for no reason at all with the sole purpose of having fun. We were living high on the hog… as I’m sure you can tell by the pose I struck in my little pink bikini. As you can see, I was always very shy and reserved, even as a child. ;)
My point is, I’m so glad I grew up with the perspective my parents gave us. I’m glad I didn’t have crazy expectations and visions of entitlement. I’m glad a trip to McDonald’s and a night at a hotel pool made me feel like a rock star. I am so grateful that we never took special times and unexpected treats for granted.
I’m truly grateful for the perspective I was taught, because while I’ve never taken a beach vacation to Florida or Hawaii and I don’t consider spring break to be synonymous with trips… I thoroughly enjoy every break from the mundane I get… whether it’s a carpet picnic or enjoying a movie night… I still feel like I’m living high on the hog.
I’m just not doing it in a pink bikini.