Vacations are supposed to be periods of rest and relaxation - times to spend with the ones you love. But, they don't always work out the way they're planned.
The Sullivans have been forging tirelessly toward that goal, and are finally able to get out of town. With their kids and an overactive Asparagus, they're heading to Cape Cod and the glorious sandy beaches.
Demanding careers, a ridiculous neighborhood, the unstoppable march of time, and some poorly governed organisms have crescendoed enough to have them considering big changes. So, time away couldn't come soon enough, even though the timing might not be so hot.
With their oldest daughter heading into her last year of high school, God only knows how many more of these trips there might be. Going another summer without time away would be unbearable, so it was now or never.
An obstinately administered set of state policies and rampant tax increases were killing families in their state. Regardless of their endeavors, their slice of the pie was dwindling into nothingness. Even with a forthcoming promotion, finances were always unsettled, and quality of life wasn't keeping pace with constantly contrived fees.
Grounded in their faith and their love for one another, the family survived. Though, their traditional values were still being confronted by remnants of the failed coup, and new age of uninformed enlightenment. Zealots in the state were hostile to the successes of the individual, and were still living under the delusions of the prior administration's divisiveness. But the Sullivans held on knowing that they weren't the only ones who hadn't found "every man for himself", in the Bible.
Finally able to escape the restraints of their jobs and relative lack of opportunity, it was finally time to start relaxing. Leaving their worries behind for a destination full of sun, would be all any of them could ask for. Spending time with loved ones and reestablishing familial connections were anticipated and long awaited...
But, what happens when things don't go as planned?
What gantlet of challenges would have to be endured when things go haywire?
When traffic, weather, communication and other challenges serve to derail them, how will they respond?
Forces beyond their initial understanding begin to take hold and will send them on a journey they never intended.
Perhaps this will be where they begin learning where their hearts reside.
Living in New England gives anyone settled there the aptitude to wonder about two things - the changing weather patterns and the outlook of the inhabitants.
Sometimes the meteorological conditions cooperate, but don't ever count on it. Stand around looking at the sky long enough, and the patterns and motivations will change. The same can playfully be stated about the residents.
Based on the condition of both, people there often wonder where the lunar cycle is in its chase across the solar system. Assuming that there is an impending full moon is constant watercooler sentiment.
As a native occupant, the author has the unique perspective born out of the witness to a lot of rainy weekends, and stressfully gloomy roadways.
Inasmuch, he's seen his share of failed road trips, and challenging family vacations. Traveling through the nettles of congested Northeastern roadways could bring out the worst or the very best in folks.
Recently, he and his family experienced a most unusual getaway, that challenged his notions of adult immunity to such experiences. Though, having endured the trip, they reformed a more intimate relationship with one another, and had one of the best vacations in memory.
Jason also strengthened his communion with God, and observed His power displayed in many ways. Sometimes the perspective found in seemingly ordinary events, leads to resurgences of dormant thinking and the reinvigoration of Spirit. Though patience can be tested in every minute of day-to-day life, it can also be rewarded. He learned a little flexibility can go a long way toward appreciating Mother Nature, and toward valuing his fellow man.
