WINTER VACATION
Last year I took a winter vacation for the first time ever. Actually, it was just a weekend trip to Florida. I enjoyed it so much, however, that I decided a winter vacation should be included on my calendar every year. So, this year, while Dave attended a conference, I took a week’s vacation. I definitely got the better deal!

While Dave sat in endless meetings, I explored the town of San Pedro. One of the town’s main attractions is Pt. Fermin Park, complete with a beautiful lighthouse, which stands atop a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. From this point one can also view Catalina Island, which lies about 22 miles away.

From Pt. Fermin, I observed a variety of interesting sights: sailboats, super-tankers, even a surfer (completely encased in a wetsuit)! I’m sure these are ordinary sights for the folks who live in San Pedro. They probably hardly ever notice such things anymore. For me, however, these sights were new, fascinating and far from ordinary.

The beauty of taking a winter vacation is the opportunity it provides to break away from routine pursuits and experience the world anew. For one week, I escaped metropolitan gridlock, mounds of paperwork, and endless phone calls. Instead, I enjoyed leisure time, ocean vistas and long quiet walks. I soaked up new sights and sounds and came home greatly refreshed. What would really make this experience worthwhile, however, is if I can bring that same sense of curiosity, wonder and adventure to my everyday life. My winter vacation will have been truly worthwhile if I can learn to experience my everyday world with fresh eyes and ears and thereby embrace its unique beauty.

Photo: The gorgeous California coastline as viewed from Pt. Fermin, San Pedro, California. © 2006, Evelyn Sears