Ducklings are adorable, but seriously! I'm ready for some peace! (No, Justin, that does not mean I want duckling stew for dinner! Killing baby ducklings is not the answer!)
When I saw the SITS Girls writing prompt: writing about my ideal "getaway", I almost felt like crying. I am currently in the midst of planning my ideal vacation, and it is not ideal in the least! Don't get me wrong; I couldn't be luckier. There is not a day that goes by when I don't count my blessings. I am married to the man of my dreams, and I am going on a crazy whirlwind adventure to watch a long-known friend get married. I know everything will come together awesomely, but I just think it's crazy how "ideal" looks in my mind compared to reality. I think I had this imaginary Disney-filled adventure in my head – the one where you fly to Paris on a magic carpet (with music of course!), have dinner on a perfectly starry night in a restaurant overlooking the city, and everything is magical and perfect. You don't question whether or not you can afford the trip or if the waiter will even understand what it is you want to eat. In my dreams, everyone speaks English, and I don't have to worry about overpacking.
I think, when it comes down to it, ideal is just an unachievable dream. Or, if you want to think about it in a different way, ideal is anything but perfect, organic, and simple, like the Disney movies would lead you to believe. Finding ideal (or making it happen) is difficult, challenging, and complicated. But perhaps that challenge is what makes the ideal so beautiful to begin with; why would it be a dream if it wasn't first and foremost a challenge?
When I break my European trip down to it's core – the vital elements – I find that not only am I living the dream, but that my experiences will be far better than any expectation Disney could have ever given me. (Maybe that's an exaggeration; Disney is pretty awesome!) I get to go to those locations I've always wanted to visit with friends and family that I love. Maybe, at some point before the trip, I will stop overthinking and over-analyzing every single element and learn to just enjoy the moments for what they are.
Then again, maybe not. ;)
What do you consider to be your ideal vacation? Do you have unrealistic Disney-like vacation expectations as well?
Hope everyone is having a fantastic Friday! The weather is gorgeous here, and I'm praying it stays this nice all weekend!
