How many of us go out of town—either to relax or to embark on a great adventure—and then when we return are confronted with a rude awakening called reality?  For example, it’s inevitable there’s cleaning and laundry prior to departure, and then even more once we’re back home—or any number of tasks that require attention.  It’s not unusual to take a week just to get caught up on the backlog.   My travels were no exception to this unspoken rule; add to that multiple doctor appointments, my regular transcription workload and internship, a social get together, concert and church service.  I need a vacation from my vacation.  Not only that, but I still need to make some big decisions—life decisions.

For example, what should I do after my three month internship at the magazine has been fulfilled?  Is it time to put the house up for rent and buy something closer and more centrally located?  What is the write way to tell the story in my mind and in my heart?  And how does one know when it’s time to close the door to one dream in order to fashion a new one? 

These are a few of the questions I grappled with during my recent nine day eat, pray and love journey, the answers of which still elude me.  As I write this post, the power of the Gulf’s ebb and flow is a remote memory, the sun’s kiss on my shoulders beginning to fade.  But I like to think that what I learned on my adventure will be enough … enough to help me tackle one solution at a time, while collecting all sorts of fodder to write about in the process.  I just have to keep reminding myself to enjoy the other part of the journey, the part when fantasy meets reality.  And to keep taking vacations. ~ cs