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Swans and Slides
Remembering Simple – and Real – Family Vacations
By Karen Edmisten
So I know firsthand that a terrific vacation doesn't have to be a production to be memorable. Still, it's easy in today's world to fall into the trap of "bigger is better" planning. I recently caught myself gazing wistfully at a friend's family vacation picture. I felt a pang of envy. They had traveled to a choice vacation spot, one my family won't be able to afford in this lifetime.
Then our simple summer getaway came to mind. I recalled my girls' faces, shining with anticipation as they bopped into the "jungle" at the zoo. I remembered their urging, "C'mon! Hurry! We'll miss it!" as we headed for the "cool boat ride." This was no second-string substitute for them; this was high adventure of the first order. The memory was a gentle reminder: Since our family thrives on being together, it doesn't matter whether we ride Space Mountain or careen down a free super-slide. What matters is that my husband gleefully shrieks all the way down that slide with his little girls; it matters that I sit peacefully with my daughters, tearing chunks of bread for the swans while we discuss why the babies are called cygnets and what the "ugly duckling" story really means. What matters, more than any destination, is that we are fed, recharged and rejuvenated by being together.