Ben's teaching position get's three breaks: summer, spring and winter. For the summer break, since we hadn't been in Abu Dhabi very long, we just took a short trip up to Spain and Portugal. We planned to spend winter in Abu Dhabi, enjoying the 70 degree temperatures and then visit the States in the summer.
If you know anything about plans, then you know that it is best to hold them loosely and be willing to adapt to new circumstances. A phone call from home about a serious family illness changed our plans and had us on a 29 hour traveling spree to the U.S. When it comes to priorities and plans, family is more important. It's nice to be able to make that decision at the last minute and manage to visit so far away. I recognize how much of a blessing that is this time- if it had happened at another time we might not have been able to come. Really, though the sickess is not the best reason to come, it provided an opportunity to show our family how much we love and value them. They are worth a trip home at the last minute if needed.
While we are here we are soaking up the cold, rainy temperatures to
bring back and remember in the desert. Otherwise annoying, drizzly
drives are appreciated and filed away for searing, humid days and family
is cherished. Homecooking and REAL hugs are savored. Would we appreciate family and drizzly days as much if we
didn't live so far away? I wish I could say we would be as grateful,
but it's invariable that human nature would have us taking things for
granted in the way our tendency for survival drums down the high
emotions with mundane normalcy... So perhaps living so far away is
helping us to appreciate them more. Right now, we are thankful.
Ben's teaching position get's three breaks: summer, spring and winter. For the summer break, since we hadn't been in Abu Dhabi very long, we just took a short trip up to Spain and Portugal. We planned to spend winter in Abu Dhabi, enjoying the 70 degree temperatures and then visit the States in the summer.
If you know anything about plans, then you know that it is best to hold them loosely and be willing to adapt to new circumstances. A phone call from home about a serious family illness changed our plans and had us on a 29 hour traveling spree to the U.S. When it comes to priorities and plans, family is more important. It's nice to be able to make that decision at the last minute and manage to visit so far away. I recognize how much of a blessing that is this time- if it had happened at another time we might not have been able to come. Really, though the sickess is not the best reason to come, it provided an opportunity to show our family how much we love and value them. They are worth a trip home at the last minute if needed.
While we are here we are soaking up the cold, rainy temperatures to
bring back and remember in the desert. Otherwise annoying, drizzly
drives are appreciated and filed away for searing, humid days and family
is cherished. Homecooking and REAL hugs are savored. Would we appreciate family and drizzly days as much if we
didn't live so far away? I wish I could say we would be as grateful,
but it's invariable that human nature would have us taking things for
granted in the way our tendency for survival drums down the high
emotions with mundane normalcy... So perhaps living so far away is
helping us to appreciate them more. Right now, we are thankful.
Good to see you all are doing well, Adina! Have a happy new year, full of health and blessings.
ReplyDelete