Today, we are leaving the Bahamas and this beautiful viewbehind. We did our best to remain present and soak in all of the memories, along with an amount of salt water. We also took a lot of pictures to capture what we did. It helps jog the great memories we created.
On this trip we swam with pigs in the ocean, took a crazy adventure trip, drank out of a coconut, and visited several beaches. In this way we will take all of this with us. We made friends with many people, and hopefully left a little of us in their hearts as well. To me, after years of practicing, this is how you do a vacation.
Saying goodbye to the delicious food, amazing sunsets, and fun people does not mean we won’t take them with us in our hearts. This is not only a good way to keep one well of our life alive, but every day. Take lots of pictures, but also take it in. Get to know people just beyond their names. Immerse yourself in the moment. We are thankful for the staff at the Warwick Paradise Island resort, as well as all of the places we visited. All the friends we made and people we met. Our spirits are recharged, and we will be ready to give more to our corner of the world when we return.
I’m writing to you from the Bahamas. Warwick Paradise Island to be exact. Margie and I have had a great time here so far.Hats off to Benjamin Davis and his crew. The food has been great, the staff friendly. We have had some amazing adventures as well. Getting here… that was a different story.
We were scheduled to fly American Airlines out of Milwaukee. We arrived at the airport at 3:30 am, thanks to my mother. We boarded our plane at 5:30am, excited to be in the tropics. After 2 hours of sitting still on a plane, they told everyone to get off as the plane was broken. They told us we were being ‘automatically rebooked’. I checked their app to discover they had no more flights until the next day.
Lucky for us, I got a call saying they could put us on Jetblue Airlines and we could still make it to the Bahamas, only a few hours later. We ended up with a layover in New York. We were told we should go to gate 7in New York. We did aswe were told. We waited and waited..I ventured a walk to the scheduleboard. Our flight had been moved to gate 10 and was boarding in 5 minutes. We ran through JFK Airport, which is no small task. Got the last 2 seats available. When we arrived in the Bahamas, we discovered only 3 of the 4 wheels on my suitcase did. We arrived at our hotel at 8pm, a mere 6 hours after we were scheduled to.
You may think this sounds hellish, and perhaps in some ways it was. Here is the funny thing. We arrived at our resort happy and ready to get our vacation started. Why? We had made the best of our challenges. We got pizza and a cheese steak in New York, because you just have to. We focused on being grateful we made it to the Bahamas.
This is proof it is more important who you travel with rather than where you travel to. It is also important you focus on the positive and make the best of your situation. It not only makes your vacation better, but helps create better memories.
This is a great life lesson you can start practicing today. Although I’m going to do my best to convince Margie that I need more trips to the Bahamas to practice. In reality, there are always opportunities to practice, and strengthen, your ability to make the best of, and rise above, your challenges.
Are you like me, one of those people who really like to get someone the perfect gift? Not necessarily the most expensive or lavish gift, but one that will be most appreciated. Do you spend countless hours thinking about what you know of the person and then combining that with what gift would fit that knowledge? It can be stressful and exhausting. This post will help relieve some of that stress and give you a gift that will be treasured by anyone you want to feel special. How can we do that without knowing the first thing about the person you are giving the gift to? By giving you a gift that is universally loved, extremely rare, and although it does not cost much from a financial aspect, it is priceless. Care to know what it is? Read on my friends.
As you read this, I will be on my way to this amazing location. It is the Warkwick Paradise Island, in the Bahamas. It was a gift to my lovely lady for her birthday. That is not the amazing present I am speaking of. Not sure about you, but I could not afford a trip to the Bahamas for everyone I know. Although it would probably be received quite well by most, it would not be universal as some strange people do not like the Caribbean. This means I am going to give you a gift that is not only enjoyed by more people than a trip to the Bahamas, but it more rare and priceless these days. Fear not, it is one you can afford. It comes at a cost, but not one in dollar terms.
The present I am talking about is just that…being present! Giving your attention to someone. Actively listening to what they say. That is listening to learn and understand and not just to reply. Does this sound like something that isn’t that special? Next time you are out anywhere take a look at the people around you. How many of them are locked in eye contact, soaking in every word the person opposite them is sharing? How many of them are not even looking at that person, and are instead staring at the device in their hand? Care to put a percentage on those?
This post is not to sound cynical, but to prove how rare and special being truly present for someone is. Distractions are everywhere. Using our devices and social media has shortened our attention span to one slightly longer than that of a squirrel. Stealing the love of my life away from our chaotic life to one of tranquil paradise will mean little if we are not giving each other our time. That gift is one that everyone appreciates. Knowing what you have to say is important to the other party, in fact knowing you are important to the other party, is something that will be appreciated by everyone. We all deserve this, but it is a gift that is becoming harder to find. I invite you to be the giver of this great gift.
Whether it is for a birthday, anniversary or just because you want them to feel special, give the gift of your presence. Not your physical presence, but your mind, body and soul to the moments you are spending with that individual. Not only will it be a great gift in the moment, it will strengthen your relationships and give you knowledge you can use to provide other great gifts in the future. The more you know, the more impactful in their lives you can be.
SECRET 2 AN AMAZING LIFE 