Every two years, Mark and I take a 5-week unplugged sabbatical on a small island in the West Indies. Away from all screens and the Internet, surrounded by sun and sea, we restore and replenish in inexpressible ways.
We dismissed our sabbatical this year (so many big losses for our community; this was a small loss that we could endure). Then we realized: we can still unplug, even if staying in an Airbnb within driving distance, so we marked off dates in April.
Then Mark was invited to crew in a sailboat regatta in St. Petersburg, FL in April. He loves to race and every regatta has been cancelled in the pandemic. Once he committed, I thought: if you’re flying to St. Petersburg, let’s both go and spend 3 weeks unplugged in an Airbnb in the warmth and sun.
Once we made the decision, I felt so much lighter! Yes, there are risks with cross-country travel (aren’t we all exhausted from weighing risks/rewards and explaining ourselves to others?). Yet envisioning warm sunshine, rolling waves, books (pleasure reading!), cooking meals (for fun!), savoring a cup of coffee (on the patio!), and just doing normal things—in a new place—within an abnormal year, this feels glorious.
When I saw my dad at Thanksgiving, he expressed an important insight: “There’s nothing to look forward to right now.” I try to live in the moment and embrace life as-is, yet I recognize our human need to look forward to events, vacations, ordinary gatherings, milestones, ceremonies, and general communing.
Instead of “can I.. ?” we can ask “how can I…?” It’s a small mind-state shift that makes a powerful difference. We continue to live within a pandemic. Our choices impact our community. And still, we can look for opportunity and possibility. We can look forward to the future, in small yet magical ways.
how can i…?