Spring Break 2019
For the first time in over a decade our family took a vacation for Spring Break. I'll add some commentary below, but I think Hari's FB post sums it up pretty well:
As Spring Break 2019 comes to a close I reflect back to many moments over the years and the purpose and goals of Spring Break.
When I was a kid I remember Spring Break meant the beginning of the year's big tennis tournaments began and a trip to Little Rock to play the Walmart Easter Bowl! No break from the intensity, this intensity was much different than school, it set the stage for your ranking and you played kids from all over the South, but the toughest opponents were always the ones you ran into from your own backyard! Playing your friends on the big stage and the hot seat made for a long van ride home win or lose .... especially when you rode down together..... or even shared a motel.
As I got older college spring breaks had the backdrop of tennis and kicked off our season, but let’s just say that tennis was nestled between music, cocktails, tans , and getting the attention of anyone who’d notice us.... Fools with a plan!
Later Spring Break became a time for me and my wife to travel, make memories, and align our goals for the future and play 10,000 hands of gin rummy on the beach or by a pool. Exotic locations with a simple purpose.
Once we had kids we had less flexibility, less opportunity, and even took day trips and staycations and made the best of it. We would save our days off for summer and winter and rationalize that we could push thru the Spring towards summer. What a mistake!!
This year we had a proper Spring Break as a family. The very first one for the 4 of us. It evolved out of a promise and a gift from my Mom, Joan Wack Sharma, but turned into so much more. We took a trip to Disneyland in Cali... I dreaded... no feared the planning and execution so I picked Cali over Orlando because I heard it was easier to manage. Music to my ears. I’m not one to understand 60-day-in-advance lunch reservations and ride times, and I had never been to anything Disney as a child myself either. So I had no idea what to expect. People laughed when I said I was stressed out at putting it together. How many days? Where to stay? Words like park hopper and max pass and fast pass and block time. So I popped my blood pressure pills and took the plunge.
What happened was a week of fulfillment and heartfelt warmth that our family needed. Because it truly is a small world after all. We let it get big and complicated and out of control. But when you dive down the rabbit hole with Alice or let your guard down for just a few moments in the dark inside Space Mountain you realize that it’s not how high or how fast or how dizzy you can get that provides the thrill... it’s the magic of the moment, creating your own fantasy with the people sitting right next to you. So this Spring Break had its heavy moments as I missed those who made it possible and remembered them as I saw the world thru the eyes of a kid again, but I relished seeing the twinkle of Tinker-bell in the eyes of my family as we made some dreams come true. So as I wish upon a Star tonight before bed I am thankful for this time with family, reconnecting with friends, and hoping all the best for all of us as we plunge back into reality. Cheers
I also received a note from each of the boys, which are precious and priceless, and reproduced below exactly as I received them:
COLIN:
To Mom!
Thank you very much for taking us to disney. My favorite ride was Gardians of the Galaxy: BREACKOUT. I loved it! (but not more than you Y) I went to the top of Disney Land and then went below the surface where we came on!!! The 1st time we went on Dad was so funny stomping his feet... I was so suprised that we were going up and down. I thought it was going to be like Star Tours, but it was completely different! I went on it over and over again. You made it realy fun for me. P.S (It was more fun with you than dad. don't tell him.)
From Colin Sharma
RYAN:
My favorite part of the trip was when I went on the Incredicoster for the second time because the second time I did not hit my head on the bars. And when I went on Grizzly river run I got soaked same with Splash mountain. Plus on Gardians of the galaxy I almost through up It literally goes straight up really fast then goes straight down really fast. And I went on Space mountain which I loved because I could not see and it was going really fast. And I went on Big thunder mountain whitch was my favorite.
I have friends who are big Disney fans. Who have gone multiple times and will go again, but I could never understand it. I knew it was going to be an expensive trip (and it certainly was!)... why would I spend that kind of money to go to an amusement park? Why not take the family on a "real" trip I thought? We could go to another country if we were going to spend that kind of money.
So let's say I went into this trip neutral. I was going along for the ride, not expecting much, just hoping to enjoy a family vacation. But I came away from this trip a big Disney fan. The parks were clean, the security and entrance procedure was ridiculously quick and painless (Six Flags - you could learn a thing or two!). But it was so much more than that. There's a Disney atmosphere. I just can't explain it. You go in and it is like they're pumping the air full of happy juice and nostalgia. All the workers were pleasant at a minimum - many were clearly enjoying themselves. And it is infectious. Everywhere you go you are truly immersed in a Disney (or Pixar) movie. We saw a few characters (Goofy, Mickey, Minne, Mr. Incredible, Quill and Gamora) but that wasn't really the key. It was just the FEELING you have being there.
We should have been exhausted, and to some extent we all were. We walked over 33 miles in three days, but it didn't feel tiring in the way I expected based on prior theme park visits. When we've gone to Six Flags in the past we'd spend one day and I would come home feeling like I needed a long hot shower and kinda glad that it was over. The rides are fun but I just feel filthy inside and out. After 12 hours at Disney I came home and showered (of course!) but I didn't feel grimy and gross. I can't explain it. And maybe I don't want to, because there truly is Disney magic.
There were moments of reflection when I thought about how Lulu was the impetus behind this trip. When I thought about how my father would have loved to have seen this through our eyes. How many countless hours my dad and I spent watching Disney movies together. And I missed them both. But at the same time I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe they were there with us. Because that's part of Disney magic too. You're the person you are today, but when you're there you also feel the child you once were.
So if you haven't been, or think it isn't worth it, think again. It is an investment. You'll need to save up, and plan ahead, but you'll make memories for a lifetime and that is priceless.
Thanks, Walt.
As Spring Break 2019 comes to a close I reflect back to many moments over the years and the purpose and goals of Spring Break.
When I was a kid I remember Spring Break meant the beginning of the year's big tennis tournaments began and a trip to Little Rock to play the Walmart Easter Bowl! No break from the intensity, this intensity was much different than school, it set the stage for your ranking and you played kids from all over the South, but the toughest opponents were always the ones you ran into from your own backyard! Playing your friends on the big stage and the hot seat made for a long van ride home win or lose .... especially when you rode down together..... or even shared a motel.
As I got older college spring breaks had the backdrop of tennis and kicked off our season, but let’s just say that tennis was nestled between music, cocktails, tans , and getting the attention of anyone who’d notice us.... Fools with a plan!
Later Spring Break became a time for me and my wife to travel, make memories, and align our goals for the future and play 10,000 hands of gin rummy on the beach or by a pool. Exotic locations with a simple purpose.
Once we had kids we had less flexibility, less opportunity, and even took day trips and staycations and made the best of it. We would save our days off for summer and winter and rationalize that we could push thru the Spring towards summer. What a mistake!!
This year we had a proper Spring Break as a family. The very first one for the 4 of us. It evolved out of a promise and a gift from my Mom, Joan Wack Sharma, but turned into so much more. We took a trip to Disneyland in Cali... I dreaded... no feared the planning and execution so I picked Cali over Orlando because I heard it was easier to manage. Music to my ears. I’m not one to understand 60-day-in-advance lunch reservations and ride times, and I had never been to anything Disney as a child myself either. So I had no idea what to expect. People laughed when I said I was stressed out at putting it together. How many days? Where to stay? Words like park hopper and max pass and fast pass and block time. So I popped my blood pressure pills and took the plunge.
What happened was a week of fulfillment and heartfelt warmth that our family needed. Because it truly is a small world after all. We let it get big and complicated and out of control. But when you dive down the rabbit hole with Alice or let your guard down for just a few moments in the dark inside Space Mountain you realize that it’s not how high or how fast or how dizzy you can get that provides the thrill... it’s the magic of the moment, creating your own fantasy with the people sitting right next to you. So this Spring Break had its heavy moments as I missed those who made it possible and remembered them as I saw the world thru the eyes of a kid again, but I relished seeing the twinkle of Tinker-bell in the eyes of my family as we made some dreams come true. So as I wish upon a Star tonight before bed I am thankful for this time with family, reconnecting with friends, and hoping all the best for all of us as we plunge back into reality. Cheers
I also received a note from each of the boys, which are precious and priceless, and reproduced below exactly as I received them:
COLIN:
To Mom!
Thank you very much for taking us to disney. My favorite ride was Gardians of the Galaxy: BREACKOUT. I loved it! (but not more than you Y) I went to the top of Disney Land and then went below the surface where we came on!!! The 1st time we went on Dad was so funny stomping his feet... I was so suprised that we were going up and down. I thought it was going to be like Star Tours, but it was completely different! I went on it over and over again. You made it realy fun for me. P.S (It was more fun with you than dad. don't tell him.)
From Colin Sharma
RYAN:
My favorite part of the trip was when I went on the Incredicoster for the second time because the second time I did not hit my head on the bars. And when I went on Grizzly river run I got soaked same with Splash mountain. Plus on Gardians of the galaxy I almost through up It literally goes straight up really fast then goes straight down really fast. And I went on Space mountain which I loved because I could not see and it was going really fast. And I went on Big thunder mountain whitch was my favorite.
I have friends who are big Disney fans. Who have gone multiple times and will go again, but I could never understand it. I knew it was going to be an expensive trip (and it certainly was!)... why would I spend that kind of money to go to an amusement park? Why not take the family on a "real" trip I thought? We could go to another country if we were going to spend that kind of money.
So let's say I went into this trip neutral. I was going along for the ride, not expecting much, just hoping to enjoy a family vacation. But I came away from this trip a big Disney fan. The parks were clean, the security and entrance procedure was ridiculously quick and painless (Six Flags - you could learn a thing or two!). But it was so much more than that. There's a Disney atmosphere. I just can't explain it. You go in and it is like they're pumping the air full of happy juice and nostalgia. All the workers were pleasant at a minimum - many were clearly enjoying themselves. And it is infectious. Everywhere you go you are truly immersed in a Disney (or Pixar) movie. We saw a few characters (Goofy, Mickey, Minne, Mr. Incredible, Quill and Gamora) but that wasn't really the key. It was just the FEELING you have being there.
We should have been exhausted, and to some extent we all were. We walked over 33 miles in three days, but it didn't feel tiring in the way I expected based on prior theme park visits. When we've gone to Six Flags in the past we'd spend one day and I would come home feeling like I needed a long hot shower and kinda glad that it was over. The rides are fun but I just feel filthy inside and out. After 12 hours at Disney I came home and showered (of course!) but I didn't feel grimy and gross. I can't explain it. And maybe I don't want to, because there truly is Disney magic.
There were moments of reflection when I thought about how Lulu was the impetus behind this trip. When I thought about how my father would have loved to have seen this through our eyes. How many countless hours my dad and I spent watching Disney movies together. And I missed them both. But at the same time I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe they were there with us. Because that's part of Disney magic too. You're the person you are today, but when you're there you also feel the child you once were.
So if you haven't been, or think it isn't worth it, think again. It is an investment. You'll need to save up, and plan ahead, but you'll make memories for a lifetime and that is priceless.
Thanks, Walt.
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