Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Virtual Vacation

Yesterday, as I was driving my son to piano at my usual pace, swerving in and out of traffic and going over the speed limit at what I've deemed to be the safest infraction of the law, I found myself caught behind someone going 30 in a 40. Because of the cars around me and the fact that I was going to have to turn right in about a half of a block, I couldn't swerve around this car without getting right back in front of it and putting on my brakes. I may be a bit of a rogue driver but I try my best not to be a rude driver so I had no choice but to slow down by about 14 MPH and stay behind her (I assume it was a her because of the hot pink shell on the white truck although I never actually got a good look at the driver) at what felt like a snail's pace. Sadly, she turned into the same neighborhood that I turned into. As I followed along behind her I felt myself chanting quietly, "Please don't turn right. Please don't turn right. Please don't turn right..." Of course she turned right. But now, because we were in a neighborhood instead of on a main thoroughfare she had slowed down to about 15 MPH, which, compared to my usual pace, feels a lot like a line at Disneyland. Instead of letting this 30 seconds of what felt like wasted life endanger any precious blood vessels, I used it as an opportunity for meditation. For just a moment I pretended as though it were me setting that pace because I didn't have anywhere in particular I needed to be or anything pressing on my schedule. As I carried out this 30 second exercise I found myself envying rather than resenting the driver in front of me. What would it be like to have such little reason to get anywhere that you could actually afford to go under the speed limit? To me, the whole concept is completely foreign. John and I just came back from a much needed, ultra relaxing vacation in Puerto Vallarta. I came home feeling calm and refreshed. For the first week I found myself doing breathing exercises every time I started to feel a little bit frazzled because I didn't want that feeling of serenity to go away. Well, guess what, we've been back for two weeks and that feeling is already fleeting if not entirely gone. What a sucker I am. The lady in front of me yesterday lives on vacation and doesn't even need to spend X amount of money or go anywhere to do it. Her vacation is a state of mind. I realize that I'm being presumptuous in coming to these conclusions because there is a good chance that she was just lost or on drugs. But what if she wasn't? Why, it's revolutionary! This lady could start a following with me as her number one supporter!
Please, hot pink camper shell lady! Teach me to go on a perpetual vacation in my brain! I want to come with you! And can I bring my kids, husband and dog?? And can I have my own bed on a beach where people bring me drinks and food to my hearts content?? Teach me the art of astral projection! When you think about it, the lady could make millions as a virtual travel agent. I would pay good money to get to the place she's at. But alas, hot pink camper shell lady is gone and I may never see her again. I will say that if I ever see her coasting by, I am hopping on my kids' scooter and chasing her down. Until then, I'll just have to look at pictures...




A hump back whale with her baby!!











You can see one of the zip lines we went on right above John's head.









Yoga at 24 Hour Fitness will just never be the same.






We figured the kids should have a little fun on Spring Break too so we topped it off with a trip to Disneyland. Serenity now!