Holidays

It’s been a while since we have had a holiday. We went to the UK and Europe in 2019, then the world closed down. It’s hard to remember what life was like pre-Covid isn’t it?

Little did we know that we had timed our holiday perfectly. Fast forward to last week and we were on our first real get away since 2019.

We had a week in a small Victorian coastal town near Wilsons Prom. A dear friend has a beach house there and kindly invited us to stay. It was strange to be away from our home after so long. The dogs were on edge and I think we were too. We are out of practice with holidays. We learnt about indoor bowls, visited a wind farm, walked to a waterfall, played card games, visited an art gallery, had lunch in a pub, went to a beautiful beach and had a paddle with the dogs. More things in one week than we have done in two years.

We came home rested, refreshed and ready to plan another short adventure. Perhaps we could visit Glyn’s ninety-seven year old mum in South Australia. I don’t know about you, I’m finding it hard to think about a long trip. I have a ‘don’t-go-too-far’ feeling. Like the rest of the world, we’ve been stopped from seeing family and friends. The fear of border closure and getting stuck somewhere is real. Our recent stint was close to home, not too far outside our comfort zone and we could take the dogs.

We brought home two little dogs during all those lockdowns. They saved our sanity and kept us laughing when all we felt like was crying.

I call them our Covid babies. They are not used to meeting strangers, people or dogs. Socialising has been impossible. Puppy-school non existent. Our little Doxie tends to be a bit of a nervous pup. He barks when someone approaches too quickly and loud noises make him shake like a leaf. It’s almost as if he is outwardly expressing what I am inwardly feeling.

We took them shopping the other day. It was quite an experience. I hadn’t been around people like that for two years and neither had the pups. Our Doxie took quite a while to calm down enough to actually be patted by anyone. Me too.

Is it just me or are we all feeling the feels? The post Covid feels. Can we say that yet? Is it ‘Post’ Covid? Are we there yet? I think all this staying home may have changed me from a raging extrovert into a stay-at-home recluse. Here I am safe in my triple vaccinated cocoon. We asthmatics know what it’s like to struggle to breath. Omicron? Um, no thanks.

It’s different this time. At the end of 2020 I was ready to bust out and visit everyone. Now I feel much more wary. Today when I read Australia has opened its borders to International travel for the first time in two years, part of me was holding my breath. I won’t be rushing to book our holiday just yet. Like my mother used to say, ‘We’ll see.’

We knew that was a nice way of saying ‘no’.

I will love you and leave you with this thought: Gratitude is the antidote to most things.

Fear, anger, jealousy, envy, sadness, loneliness the list is endless.

Take a moment. Breathe in and breathe out. Now be thankful for the breath coming in and out of your lungs.

Look up, can you see the sky? Be thankful for the sky. The clouds that bring rain and the sun that brings new growth. Remember when you used to see animals in the clouds? Now, look down. Can you see the earth? Try taking your shoes off and feel it. Be thankful for the ground beneath your feet and the gravity that holds you. Now, look at your hands. Open and close them. Be thankful they work with a thought. Be amazed and be grateful. It’s hard to be negative, to complain, to live fearfully when you are filled with thankfulness.

I need to be reminded of this every day. How about you?

Consider yourself reminded.

You’re welcome.