In the last two weeks of December, I was pretty much unplugged from the internet. I stepped away from the computer and my phone and actually engaged with people. I spent time with my families that I saw at the wedding but didn’t really have a chance to “see.” You know what I mean?
Sure I checked in from time to time, but it wasn’t the constant clicking and scrolling I do on a daily basis. I got to actually hang out with my husband for more than minutes a day. I went to bed at 10:30p and woke up feeling refreshed at 8:30a. I didn’t stay up till the wee hours of the night and then forcing myself out of bed in the morning, feeling like an emotionless zombie.
It was amazing to wake up every day to a beautiful clear blue sky speckled with towering green palms overhead (we spent the holidays in different parts of Florida). It was awesome to share a cup of coffee and some laughs with either my Italian in-laws or my grandparents every morning.
In the whirlwind that my life has been the past few years, what with work, school, and wedding planning, I forgot what it was like to sit around with family and just hang out. To not think about deadlines and to-do lists. To just be in the moment.
Man, did we need this vacation! We almost didn’t take it thinking it was too much of a trek (hello 16 hr drive!) but luckily after some gentle prodding from the family, we caved and are so glad we did!
We hope to make more time for vacations in 2013. We need to make a conscious effort to take more breathers and step away from our ordinary routine which can suffocate us. It’s like sometimes you don’t realize you’re drowning till you come up for air.
Such a great post, I have noticed how much I just sit with the ipad and I think this is a good reminder to set it down more!
I’m so glad you got to unplug and refresh! It’s awesome to spend time with family.
Such a wonderful, wonderful post and reminder to unplug a little more often. So happy you had a relaxing vacation. Makes me realize how bad I need one!