You know; we really need to appreciate each day, be it on the beach, or taking a final exam, or dealing with work or personal issues. For if we ever stop learning, we stop growing, and if we stop growing, then we will appreciate nothing!

As we all gathered for our last meal of our 2013 vacation, one could definitely sense the tide of emotions changed from anticipation to realization. The anticipation of new day of sun and fun, was gone, we were now focused on the task ahead of packing our bags, cleaning the condo’s and heading home.  As the last pictures were being snapped the clan was no longer gathered in the atrium (family room), but scattered in all different directions, some on the veranda, others in the formal dining room, while others were watching the tube. The last supper of VACATION 2013 was completed,  farewells were granted, the only thing left was to  pack our beachwear, and  mentally prepare  for the individual adventures  which face us on our journey home.  Friday night was hear and gone!

The next morning we faced a new day.  While loading the old family truck-ster, one could not help but to  notice the silence. The ocean, air conditioners, children, traffic, arguing neighbors all silent, the only sound was a sudden loud splash in the lagoon. It only took a week for our family pet to get his bird, and go for an early morning swim. With all of our gear loaded, we headed for Mecca to drop the keys in the beachwalker birdhouse, thus marking the end of vacation, and beginning the trip from hell back home. Now that I think about that, how cold can you get? You wait all year to get those keys, the anticipation is unbelievable (topic of a future blog), and then you end it by just dropping your key in a little box. Once you see the keys disappear, your vacation is officially over, finished, done, ended, and complete. Dreams and expectations become memories and no key or cold steel box will ever take them away.  It became very somber in the car as we passed the Red tractor and by the time we passed thru the tunnel of oaks the fog and rain consumed your concentration, we reached the big land mark the famous bridge over the Ashleigh (Ashley) river all you were able to see was the wet cool hard concert of the bridge. We continued to push on thru the rain and fog with the other thousand people who left their keys in a metal box fitttty miles back. We all had several things in common; Rain, Fog, traffic, and worst of all facing the reality that our dreams were coming to an abrupt end. As we continued up the coast, cars on both sides of the road were becoming plentiful.   With us driving north, facing the shadows of reality, the only consolation we have is we are moving, while the people on the southbound lanes are stopped in their tracks. We are in the shadow of reality, while they have the shadows of hope. We are faced with thoughts of the “grind” while their dreams are just beginning. Meanwhile back in Charleston, there is a fine group of people just sitting there waiting for their plane to Wisk them into the friendly shies!  I wonder if all of that fog and rain may have had something to do with the flights out of Charleston being delayed! We learn from all experiences,” weather” you’re sitting in a nice comfortable airport, or in the confines of the truck-ster, we are all being guided to our destination. Look at the bright side; if the sun was shining the truck-ster would have blinding sun coming in from the rear, thus making it difficult to pass other cars, or for the airport travelers, you would have missed all the fun of spending time in our nation’s capital! One guarantee is we will have plenty of stories about our adventures getting home, but the only thing that counts was we did if safely! Everything else does not matter. We have now put ourselves in a position to take the next 25 weeks enjoying our memories, and the next 26 weeks building anticipation for 2014 Vacation. This week’s words of wisdom, you really need to think about in order to make it relate to our trips home, but it is truly fitting.

Words of wisdom: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23: 4