Same Destination, Different Vacations

It is becoming clear that when our family vacation is over, there will be several entirely different accounts of it. Because going to the same place doesn't really mean that a group has the same vacation experience. It doesn't even really mean that everyone saw the same things. What, after all, is vacation? Well, it depends on who you are.

My vacation story will include sites seen, but will also feature foods eaten and hours slept. For me, vacation will have been about a break from normal schedules and routines, about sleeping at night, choosing more of the steps in my day, and seeing a different view out my window.

My kids' vacation stories will likely start with the (sort-of) absence of schoolwork, and the ability to stay up later. They might include the outdoor experiences very different from our normal city environs (either for their natural beauty or for their interaction with particular video games), and foods they wouldn't necessarily eat at home. And they will almost certainly touch on the places we didn't go, because what kind of kid wouldn't need to speak his or her mind, at least a little.

Before we know it, we will be done with vacation, telling our stories, and then watching them fade into the woodwork as we return to normal existence. Will this be a week that remains in our memory, or just a blip in a busy life? Will certain pieces stay with us for years, and call us back next time?

The stories--all of them--are still unfolding, so, hard to know for sure yet how they will be told...