Got any kings?
Go Fish has been my favorite card game since I was little. I love the simplicity of the activity; no complicated rules to follow. You ask, you offer, you trade. The person with the most matches wins and you start another round. Isn’t it ironic how this game actually works in real life? You ask for ideas, you share yours, you trade experiences, except in this case, everyone wins.
When I am exploring a place to go, I ask around to see who can offer suggestions before I search. I love going “fishing” for new places to see, shows to watch or books to devour. I trade my recaps for new ideas.
Years ago my friend Caty shared that she kept details on her vacations in a travel journal. We were planning a family trip to Arizona and her notes provided me with great recommendations for places to see, stay, and eat. I duplicated her trip to Key West and passed along her ideas for Costa Rica to my brother. Knowing that a friend explored the spot prior to our arrival, eased my anxiety.
To kick-off the summer, we took our family down to South Carolina. Charleston was on my “adventure list,” and my youngest wanted to begin his college search in the south. Traveling to an area where we didn’t have friends or family would ensure that we would have quality time together.
If you have teenagers, you know that “forced family fun” is not always met with enthusiasm. You may have seen Jennifer Gardener’s movies about the parents who spent twenty-four hours saying “yes” to everything their children suggested? After a year of saying no to going out without masks, no to large gatherings, and just a lot of “no’s” all around, we needed a “yes trip.” Our version was to embrace spontaneity by following our son’s recommendations, try new foods, stay out later, and not controling our vacation schedule. Our favorite activity was learning how to drive Jet Skis around the surrounding islands together.
Not all games are played with a group. When I am struggling to shift into a positive mood, I play mind solitaire. I use photos or quotes to help me to pause, reframe and taste the moment. In her podcast, Yale Professor Laurie Santos shares that you can increase joy by ruminating over the good parts of the experience before, during or after. This is called savoring, which is the “act of mindfully attending to the experience of pleasure.” You can also enjoy the moment by soaking up someone else’s joy. My Dad did an excellent job of this by saying “does it get any better than this” when we were together at a BBQ, on a beach walk, or enjoying coffee on his porch. Suddenly breakfast would taste better, the view got brighter, the conversation livelier.
By displaying vacation photos throughout our home and giving gifts I have purchased on the trip or ordered online after we returned, I continue to savor. Hats or t-shirts from a favorite local spot, a cookbook from a yummy restaurant, or a candle whose scent reminds us of the adventure and intensifies the memories. I post pictures of our family vacation to inspire others to “trade” with me. Once I share my own journey, I can collect ideas for future trips and discover new places to explore. I create a dream list of future adventures which I keep in my daily sight. It is a game that gives me such joy.
I’ve got South Carolina for you, care to trade for Montana?
