Knowing that everyone's different in how they deal with the every-day stresses of life, I recently figured out a key to how I function best. I realized I am a vacation goal setter. I can't remember hearing of any demographic that this places me into, but It's a very real part of my coping mechanisms of doing life.
In order for me to function with hope, a positive attitude, and looking forward to each day, I have to have a vacation project looming on the horizon. For instance, Steph and I had plans to use a free gift vacation to Vegas (one of those give-aways you get if you show up to a time-share sales pitch). We failed to return a registration form in the alloted time to take the trip when we wanted (there are about 5 hoops you must jump through to actually go on the trip, I'm sure meant to deter people from actually following through and using the "free" vacation). When I found out we weren't going on our trip in about two months, I felt this feeling of despair and hopelessness sweep over me like a wave. I was not expecting this, but it all made sense.
For as long as I can remember I have always had something I was working on and toward to look forward to. College graduation, youth group events when serving as a Youth Pastor, wilderness expeditions when serving as a wilderness guide, my wedding, hikes and trips and day-trips with Steph, the birth of Madeline, a trip to Yosemite with a friend (cancelled just before the incident described above, adding to my feeling of hopelessness), etc. When I found myself without an event to look forward to in the following couple of months, it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel of everyday stresses.
When we were able to reschedule the freebee trip for February 2009 it got a little better, but it was still too far away to really feel any anticipation. Then Steph, the genius and loving wife that she is, booked four days and three nights at one of our time-share properties. The monotony of dealing with every-day stresses had just been lifted. I had an adventure to look forward to. There's something from John Eldregde's Wild at Heart there.
That's what it is... the lure of an adventure on the horizon...
Anyone else have this same or similar personality trait?
1 comment:
YES. This is ME.
Once I take a vacation, I am automatically thinking of what I'm doing next. After I was in Orange County in June, I came back and booked tickets to Washington DC. Brian and I went for a few days and got back on Sunday. Now I'm looking forward to Disneyland in November and Oregon in December.
I will say that the little trips of seeing friends is wonderful, but I'm REALLY itching to get out of the country. And the planning of a bigger trip is almost as fun as the trip itself.
This is one thing we can agree on. :)
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