Christmas Week. Five days and counting. Hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday Season thus far. I pray for peace, health and happiness for us all. On to today’s gift idea.
I have never been to Aruba, Bermuda or Hawaii, all pictured here. As my wife likes to remind me, I’m not much of an adventurist when it comes to travel. As I like to remind her, she doesn’t like long flights. Thus, we have yet to venture over the Pacific or Atlantic. The Gulf either for that matter.
Fact is, I’d love to visit one of these places. Sit back, relax and allow myself to be lazy for a couple of weeks. Yea I could do that. I’m sure she could too….
Call me crazy, but I’ve always wanted to take my entire family on an extended vacation to a place such as one of these. As a young adult I imagined that one day I’d be able to tell my family and friends that I was taking 100 of us on an all expenses paid trip. Room, travel and flight included. Food and drinks on you! Even today, I don’t speak of this as if its time has passed.
Way back when I was twenty years old and working at AACC, one of the professors there became sort of a mentor to me. More than twice my age he shared family advice and encouraged me to use my time and mind wisely. I respected and envied him because of the way he treated his children. He had two sons, both married and in their thirties with well-paying careers. And yet, this father refused to let his adult children pay for their own vacations. He had paid for his sons’ annual vacations all of their lives.
One year in particular he shared with a true sense of pride and excitement the satisfaction he got when he was able to send his boys to Europe. I still remember how he shared the itinerary and details. Mind you, the father was not going on the trip. He told me he couldn’t afford to accompany them this time, but you would never had known this because he didn’t seem disappointed at all!
What happened the next year really left an impression on me. The two sons returned the favor. Sent their dad on a three week, seven country tour of Europe. He was so proud of his sons and happy that they thought enough of him and his wife to gift them this way. Made me want to do something like that for my parents.
So, one year, I’d like to as many friends and family as possible on a two week vacation to Aruba, Bermuda or Hawaii. At this point I’ll probably have to sell my house to do it so I’ll need to live with one of you when we get back…..who’s down? ‘Tis the Season…….
The Real Life Corner 