On the journey with family
How important is family? As the Executive Geek’s husband, I think family is everything. In fact, its why we are on this journey together. Its why I was so supportive when the Geek came to me and said what do you think about me starting my own business? Its what drives me to stay in my career for the long haul to support the ones I love.
If you’re like us COVID had its impacts. Not all bad, not all good but no doubt this affected us in many ways. For us two years were disrupted. The first year everyone worked and learned from home, the second year we were trying to get back to normal and now, one year three, the last remnants of what COVID changed are being delt with as we return to normal.
All that said, the last three years flew by because I was working from home and when I went back to the office it was far less than before. One day melted into the next. I went from having cute little 12, 10 and 8 year olds to two teens and a tween in what felt like a blink of an eye. Our oldest is going to start driving and working. Time went by and these kids are taking leaps into adulthood. I find myself asking how did this happen? What can I do to live in the moment and savor my time with them?
We are a camping family and the answer was found in what we love to do together. Only two of our vacations in the last 20 years was not a camping vacation. Camping bonds us, it takes us out of the mundane and makes us work together, solve problems together and learn new things together. We are put together in a much smaller space than we normally are and we either make it work or have a miserable vacation. We must choose to be happy. I personally think this is a good way to live all of life. To look for the positive and make the best of everything. We all enjoy camping and being together as we explore new places. For years we have dreamed of going out west for an extended amount of time and explore the west.
This is a lofty goal both from a time commitment and cost perspective, and as I posted before took a lot of planning. This experience was a priority for us and as we looked into the future, we realized our oldest working would only complicate things if we waited any longer. Managing three work schedules for a month off was a challenge we didn’t want to risk being an issue that would stop us from achieving our goal.
Our answer to how we savor the time left with our soon-to-be young adults was to take a month to explore the west with them. We wanted this experience for them, and it was on us to make it happen so we did it. My hope is that this trip builds memories they will have for the rest of their lives. Memories that include me and my wife after we are gone someday. I also hope that there are things they see that lead them down paths for education and careers in the future. I see this trip as a passage into adulthood for them and something we needed to do to continue to bond us into the strong family that we are.
So, I ask you what does your family need? Camping isn’t for everyone so it could be anything to help bond you together. Look for what you all have a passion for. It could be a project you all have been thinking about, a vacation, starting a business together, a fishing trip or whatever. I also ask what is stopping you? Life is short, savor it and do something amazing with for you and your loved ones! You wont regret it.
~Jeremy