Most of us have gone through the pain of a getaway gone wrong.
We head out for a camping trip in the mountains in June, and the weather turns raw and wet. We rent a beach house with a gang of old college buddies, and discover that half of them have brought their office with them and the other half are addicted to their cell phones. We set out on a tour of the Shenandoah Valley and find ourselves three hundred miles from home in a hotel room with two little ones throwing up from a stomach bug.
When these misadventures occur, the collision between high expectations and cold realities can double our disappointment. Life delivers a sucker punch, knocking the stuffing out of our dreams of rest and pleasure.
Yet we can make preparations that will allay all but the worst of disasters as we leave our home and head off for some fun and a change of scenery.
First, we can become acquainted with our destination before our arrival. Recently, for instance, I spent several days reading the weather reports for the North Carolina beach where my kids and grandkids were gathering for a week before I left home. These called for almost daily rain, which meant that several of us packed puzzles, games and cards along with swimsuits and sunscreen. It so happened that our week on the sand brought blue skies and reasonably mild temps, but we were ready to enjoy ourselves no matter the weather.
So, think ahead. If you’re headed to the beach, for example, Saturdays and Sundays will bring the most traffic, both on the highway and in the grocery stores. In some states and localities, the liquor stores will be closed on Sundays. Churchgoers should check the times and availability of services. Knowing these details and more will alert you to what awaits your arrival.
Second, make a budget and stick to it. Some people I’ve known leave home and then blow through money like some high roller in Vegas. For them, it’s Christmas in July, and just like Christmas in December, those credit cards get them in trouble. So, make free with your time and pleasures, but not your billfold.
Some people need to bring along work on their travels. If you’re one of these, as I am, then schedule your daily laptop and phone time, and then walk away. If you spend the bulk of your time tapping away on a keyboard or dealing with clients by phone, you aren’t on vacation; you’re just working in another place.
It also pays to anticipate troubles. Roman Stoics practiced a technique known today as negative visualization, which they called premeditatio malorum, or premeditation of evils. The Daily Stoic offers an excellent synopsis of this tactic, including this example:
A writer like Seneca would begin by reviewing or rehearsing his plans, say, to take a trip. And then, in his head (or in writing), he would go over the things that could go wrong or prevent it from happening—a storm could arise, the captain could fall ill, the ship could be attacked by pirates.
‘Nothing happens to the wise man against his expectation,’ he wrote to a friend. ‘. . . nor do all things turn out for him as he wished but as he reckoned—and above all he reckoned that something could block his plans.’
Imagining what could go wrong may strike us as unduly pessimistic, yet the best executives, military commanders, and others in enterprises where fortune can shift like the wind follow this practice of setting expectations. If you’ve considered some disruption in your plans, from a flat tire to a botched reservation, you’re better prepared than if you’re caught entirely off-guard. You may even find, as G. K. Chesterton wrote, that “An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.”
Finally, understand the purpose of your holiday ahead of time. If the idea is to go to some mountain hamlet and spend the week whitewater rafting and hiking, then map out a schedule that matches your intentions. If you’re heading to the beach for some R&R, then toss out all plans and take each day as it comes.
Vacation is derived from the Latin vacare, meaning to empty or to be unoccupied. Rain or shine, smooth sailing or stormy seas, let this time away from home be an emptying out of routine and worry, and a renewal of the spirit.
Jeff Minick is a father of four and grandfather to many. A former history, literature, and Latin teacher, Jeff now writes prolifically for The Epoch Times, American Essence Magazine, and several other publications.
This culture article was made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal, a project of 1819 News. To comment on this article, please email [email protected]. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News.
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