“There is only one way to learn… It’s through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey.”- The Alchemist

It’s our last day here in Costa Rica and we’re already making preparations for our return home. After a couple of weeks in another country, immersing ourselves in a new culture and new way of living, it’s time to come home. Endings are always tough for me, particularly on a trip of my choosing. This one feels bittersweet because while I’m ready to be back in the comforts of home, I also want to bring back with me the essence of who I’ve become on this journey. I arrived with a series of questions, and through my reading, writing, and reflecting I’ve found some peace and more clarity. I’ve rested, which is no small feat. Our family has grown closer together through new shared experiences. In some ways, it feels like mission accomplished.

Yet, because this trip has helped us rewire our understanding of ourselves and the world, I want to mark the transition. Sure, it seems as if rest of the world is on fire. Even though we’re thousands of miles away, yesterday our driver asked us, what do you think about what’s happening in America with Donald Trump getting shot and President Biden resigning? True story. We can’t really escape the realities of home, but these past couple of weeks have at least offered a nice reprieve. My concern is that if we jump right back into our everyday lives, we’ll forget what happened here.

So now the question I find myself asking is, how do we transition back to our lives at home? And how do we mark this important time with the recognition that it deserves? Here’s a few ways I’m preparing to help our family capture the power of these moments we’ve had together. I’m drawing upon a book I read years ago, The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath to help me.

Keep thinking in moments. When we’re traveling, we naturally think in terms of moments. We’re cognizant of the elements that make defining moments memorable, elements of connection with the people you love. We plan activities are events that are elevating and inspiration, or provide some type of insight into something you’ve never experienced before. Through our experiences we tend to experience more moments of pride. What if we could bring the same elements of connection, pride, elevation, and insight to how we thought about our everyday moments back home? What if we identified in advance potential peak moments that are approaching, (the first day of school in a few weeks, London’s birthday, the launch of fall sports, great grandma’s 90th birthday), to really create some memories?

Reevaluate our capacity. One of the habits that took a hit for us this year was weekly Sabbaths. During the spring campaign we would spend most of our weekends canvassing and talking to voters. Now that the campaign season (for us) is over, we can reclaim that portion of our lives. I feel more rested than I’ve felt in a while, and I know the kids do as well. We’ve escaped to a pace of life that feels, dare I say, sustainable? There’s a way to work that doesn’t lead to burn out. There’s a way to pursue your dreams that with clear guardrails around what matters most. I believe these conditions change for each of us in different seasons of life. When the kids were younger, our ability to rest and travel was more limited. As they’ve grown, so has our capacity. Now that the school year approaches, with a return to all our regularly scheduled lives, perhaps it’s time to reassess what activities should be a part of our regularly scheduled lives. We each are looking forward to what’s next, now is the time to decide how to best support each other as a family as we head into the next phase.

Mark the transition. Our last day here will involve packing and some cleaning. We’ll do all the things to prepare to leave. But, we’ll also commemorate the time we’ve had together here. We’ll each share some words about what this has meant to us. We’ll later watch a video I’ve put together (as I do for all our trips). We’ll look at the now over 500 photos we’ve taken. We’ll celebrate.

As I write this, we’ve locked the kids outside (yes, this is a regular practice of mine, especially at home. I highly recommend it.). They kept coming in and out too many times, and I was raised by a grandma who constantly reminded me that our door wasn’t a revolving door! They’re tired and ready to go home themselves so they’re starting to get on each other’s nerves, and thus ours. So I gave each of us some much needed space. Now, they’re running around playing with each other and jumping in the pool. Probably the most important gift parents can give their kids is the freedom to roam, and the confidence that they can eventually find their way home. That’s what traveling does for us, both figuratively and literally. Glad to be coming home.

SDW3