Long Range Effects

It was no secret that the holidays were stressful for me.  Not sure why, but they were.  Memories?  Tired?  Just not into them for some reason?  Too much happening?  Worried about the cataract surgery?  Not being able to see?

Not sure what the reason(s) was (were), but I didn't like it.

I remember a few years ago that someone asked me about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve and I had replied that we had the BEST time with all of them that year.  Everything was fun, relaxed, family oriented, and enjoyable.

Not so much this year, and I know it was all me.   I just didn't want to do anything, be in charge of anything, or go anywhere, and it was affecting me---big time.

Now NYEve in Gatlinburg drew me back into my old self again.  Kinda.  Not totally.  But more than I had been.   That was good.

But the trip to Florida the past two weeks were just what I needed.

Therapeutic?  Maybe.

Being at Disney World with the kids was so much fun.  I posted on FB one day while I was sitting in Magic Kingdom, waiting Hilary, Gary, and the big kids to ride Space Mountain and while Blaine was taking Owen on another ride on the race cars, that this Disney trip was so special for all of us.  We were celebrating Owen's adoption and everyone at the parks were so nice to all of us during our visits there.  It was fun to be with the kids at the resort.  Swimming in the fountain pool in lukewarm water.  Listening to the laughter.  Having Landon and Owen come in and jump in our bed, then Tessa showing up too.  Sitting on the balcony with Landon, both of us reading so he could finish his book about Harriet Tubman for a school assignment.  Watching the two boys playing in the wa wa in Papaw's bathtub.  Just fun.

But being at Tom and Gina's place was therapeutic for me, and I didn't realize how much until now.

Their place is a double wide in a retirement community about 90 miles south of Orlando between Zolfo Springs and Arcadia.  It really is in the middle of nowhere.  There wasn't much to do closely, but we did find a couple of restaurants to try, a fairly close Walmart to wander through, and we did drive to Sebring to check it out, then to the Sarasota area and to Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. 

The rest of the time we watched tv (Gary), read (Beth), played with our iPads, or just watched the golf carts and bicycles go by. 

At the time I was not appreciating the quiet of their place, but now I realize that it was just what I needed.  It felt good not to have any place to be or an appointment to keep.  It felt great to not wake up to the alarm and not even think about what time we needed to go to bed or get up in the morning...because it really didn't matter.  As long as we were ready to go somewhere in the afternoon, we were fine.  And even a couple of days we didn't want to do that.

I was thinking yesterday about how much better I have felt since we came home, and I think spending that second week at Zolfo Springs was the key to the rejuvenation that I feel now.  Sometimes we just need to relax and refresh and renew.  And it happens when we least think it will!