DAY 24: In defense of dropping it all….

I've been home from vacation for less than 12 hours, and I have a lot on my mind.  Mostly my kids.  And thoughts of balance. My kids spent a week in paradise, exploring, no TV  except we'd watch a few minutes of US shows in Spanish, which my kids thought were hilarious.  My daughter read two books on her iPad, and besides posting up a pic or blog post here and there, we were pretty much technology free.

It's like this every time I vacation, and I don't think it is just because of a lack of work.  I always return thinking, I should find someplace to live where my kids can live more uninhibited.  Less tech, more tree climbing, more spear throwing, more laughter, more looking for monkeys, more swimming in oceans, lakes and rivers, more beach volleyball on real beaches, more sailing, surfing, getting crushed by waves, more riding bikes, running, and less everything else.

I grew up on the beach, and the water is part of what's missing for me these days.  I grew up with a windsurfer that I saved up and bought when I was 12, and I walked to the beach multiple days a week and sailed.  No one was watching, and I didn't die.  My kids deserve that freedom.  They deserve that time.

So how do we do it.  How would you just stop the life you have in motion, and get more of that in your life?  Would you?  Could you?  Where would you go?  Would you get a job first or wing it?  It's mind boggling to try and put it all in place, and so we go back to "normal".

I know it's not normal.  Not that my life is bad, it's actually great, but I think normal is a push towards more nature, more beaches and more mountains.

This year is the time we start figuring it out.  Less soccer practice and activities and more exploring, sailing and adventure.   Not just me, but the whole  family.  It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.

Maybe a weekend a month or at the least 6 new adventures a year.   We can do that can't we?

We can drop it all and live some more?