Remembering How to Have Fun
We are on vacation in Virginia Beach this week. What was supposed to be a warm, sunny time has turned out to be windy, cool and cloudy. Grownups tend to view these circumstances as a letdown. We want sun. We want to relax on a beach chair with a cocktail and feel warm. We want the ocean to be mild and calm. We want a lot.
My son, Soren, doesn't want any of that. He sees the crashing waves and wants to feel the surf. He wants to swim in the pool, regardless of the near freezing temperature. We went to the beach this morning, knowing we wouldn't last long. Soren and I went into the water up to our knees. We looked at the waves and the clouds and the ships. He was so happy that he made me happy.
When we went back inside, he didn't want to stop having fun. He wanted to go to the pool. The outdoor pool. We tested the water and it was cold. Too cold. My husband and I stood on the deck watching while Soren and his little brother walked straight into the water. Then my husband said something that transformed my attitude. He said, 'I should get in with them. Elise, your dad would not hesitate. He would get right in and have a great time.'
I stood up, took off my cover-up and walked straight into the water. It was frigid. I started shivering immediately and I don't usually mind the cold. Soren, however was all the way in and swimming back and forth. So, I followed his lead. I swam. I took Kieran out into the deeper water and we played and swam for about 40 minutes. Soren did laps, so did I. Soren went under, and so did I. Guess what? We warmed up, forgot to be cold and ended up having a fantastic time.
Now we're back in our hotel suite, warm and dry. We are tired and happy instead of being restless and cranky. Soren helped me remember how to have fun. It isn't about making the best of a bad situation. It's about choosing to see the good in any situation. It's not about wishing things were different. It's about appreciating and finding the joy in what 'is'. My dad knows how to do that. My son knows how to do it. I know how, too. I just needed a reminder.
My son, Soren, doesn't want any of that. He sees the crashing waves and wants to feel the surf. He wants to swim in the pool, regardless of the near freezing temperature. We went to the beach this morning, knowing we wouldn't last long. Soren and I went into the water up to our knees. We looked at the waves and the clouds and the ships. He was so happy that he made me happy.
When we went back inside, he didn't want to stop having fun. He wanted to go to the pool. The outdoor pool. We tested the water and it was cold. Too cold. My husband and I stood on the deck watching while Soren and his little brother walked straight into the water. Then my husband said something that transformed my attitude. He said, 'I should get in with them. Elise, your dad would not hesitate. He would get right in and have a great time.'
I stood up, took off my cover-up and walked straight into the water. It was frigid. I started shivering immediately and I don't usually mind the cold. Soren, however was all the way in and swimming back and forth. So, I followed his lead. I swam. I took Kieran out into the deeper water and we played and swam for about 40 minutes. Soren did laps, so did I. Soren went under, and so did I. Guess what? We warmed up, forgot to be cold and ended up having a fantastic time.
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