From Sea to Shining Sea

The bad thing is that they end.

Coming on the heels of weeks of emotional and physical overwhelm, I was desperate for a break. And when I finally assembled the logistical jigsaw puzzle of kids-work-appointments and found two days I could get away, I was thrilled.

As the bus pulled away, I felt myself slowly relaxing. I was going away. Away from the blessed chaos I live in, away from the children I love and don’t always like, away from the constant, constant demands for my time and space and energy. And I’d forgotten my phone at home (for real!), so I couldn’t even be reached for emergencies like a missing library book.

I got to the hotel and collapsed into bed. I’d caught yet another in a series of viruses, but this time, there was no one around to insist I function despite my incapacitated state.

I felt better the next morning, but that didn’t stop me from spending another few hours in bed. What are vacations meant for if not to catch up on much-needed sleep?