Spring Break

Tonight I am surrounded by palm trees, warm breezes, a huge full moon, lots of southern Florida traffic and my daughter and my mother. This is all new, that’s for sure. Heading out to sea on a floating city tomorrow, the likes of which I have never set foot upon before. Fresh adventures for the women of my family. It is, in fact, an amazing thing that this experience is something new for me, the fifty something; mom, the seventy something; and daughter, the twenty something. There aren’t too many things we could choose that would put us all on equal footing as far as knowing what to expect ahead of time. Our common experience of discovering something new altogether will no doubt solidify our bond.

Today’s other first time travel experience for me was be the official escort for a ‘disabled traveler.’ Mom was understandably apprehensive about such a long journey accomplished through very little power of her own. She was pushed along by the kind Delta pushers who were far more adept at driving a wheel chair than I am at this point! I complimented them on their obvious skills and made mental notes of my own: “When entering an elevator, take yourself and the wheelchair rider in backwards.” “When managing luggage and wheelchair user in the middle of traffic—airport or hotel parking—care for the wheelchair user FIRST and then deal with the luggage!” “When heading down jet way ramps, take rider facing up the ramp so if a sudden bump is encountered, said rider will not fly forward and land on the jet way headfirst!” This is obviously going to be an educational vacation for me, as well as warm and breezy!

Mom fared well, though she is weary. She kept saying “I can’t believe this!” and then smiling which was a joy to see. Her take on this journey and her seeming unreadiness to undertake it, was that the Lord kept saying to her “Trust Me on this one. I’m going to make it work out!” So far, so good. (Thank you, Lord) All we have yet to do is transport ourselves and far too much luggage onto the cruise ship and into our teeny weeny staterooms with the sea views.

I really don’t know what to expect, but I eagerly anticipate all the new things we will see and experience at the cruise port tomorrow. Bon voyage!