"Behold, the Purple Blur," and Other Vacation Reflections

I and the other members of Team Dykstra embarked on a summer adventure for a few days last week to Duluth. Like with our Spring Break trip, I offer a few reflections and lessons from our family vacation:

Purple Blur!
Just before we went on vacation, Leah got a new pair of purple shoes that she is extraordinarily proud of. She loves to run in them, so much so that I nicknamed her the "Purple Blur" and started shouting that out every time she sprinted and leaped about with the intention of gaining our admiration.

We did a great deal of walking and hiking on this vacation, and there were times when energy was significantly lagging in the girls on a hike. All I had to do to keep Leah going, though, was to shout "Purple Blur! Purple Blur!" when she was dragging the most; immediately, she began racing, deer-like, with boundless enthusiasm. It proved a much more effective means of motivation than, "Leah! Get your butt in gear. You're falling behind!"

Believe the best in people, and verbalize that best to them, and chances are they'll become that best.

Vacation by Any Other Name. . .
On our way to Duluth, we had to go to Rochester for an appointment at Mayo for Leah. Leah hates doctors. Elise hates waiting. All was well, however, because we told the girls that our vacation started on Tuesday. Tuesday was the day of the doctor's appointment. They knew where we were going; but the fact that we called it "vacation" meant to them that it was some sort of adventure, a time of excitement and untold opportunities. And it was. Elise thought Rochester was so great that she wants to live there some day. Leah had perhaps her most pleasant doctor visit ever.

Every day we get to wake up and speak expectations into our day. If you say it's going to be a good day, it probably will be.

Plans are good. Adventures are better.
We had a couple of events solidly on our calendar, as planning was necessary to accomplish all our goals. The boat ride on Lake Superior and the ride on the North Shore Scenic Railroad required tickets and specific times. We knew exactly when we would visit the aquarium and Split Rock Lighthouse based on our travel schedule. But we didn't overschedule - we left room for the spontaneous. And if you ask the girls, the unplanned evening hike to skip rocks along the shore was one of the biggest highlights of the trip. We got dirty, waved at boats, and caused big splashes, all without the narration of a tour guide. Plans are essential, but so are empty spaces to explore.

Every day is someone's vacation.
The service all week was immaculate. We were well cared for at restaurants, tourist attractions, our hotel, and everywhere else we went. People actively sought ways to make our experience better, even the overly zealous, pun-enamored guide on our boat tour. Yes, that's their job, but it's their job every day. Duluth is a major summer destination, and we got there just after the Duluth Tall Ships Festival, a heavily attended event. All who provided service to us and worked to improve our time there have to do that over and over and over again. Former Yankee great Joe DiMaggio, upon being asked about why he approached every game with such effort, said, "There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time. I owe him my best."

Whether they knew it or not, when we needed it, those working for us came through with their best. Every day, every interaction is of consequence. Every day is someone's vacation, someone's birthday, or someone's day of great need. The only way to be ready is to be excellent every day.

What you learned yesterday matters today.
Hearkening back to our Spring Break trip, several lessons from that week proved applicable once again. A bag of dum-dum suckers cured many a bout of fatigue, boredom, or just plain antagonism. We played hard with good people, including friends in Minneapolis on our way there. We crossed another life goal of Elise's off the list - that of seeing a lighthouse up close. We crossed one off of mine and Emily's list, as we daydreamed about taking our not-yet-born children to Duluth on a visit six years prior. And I shaved my vacation beard today. The difference between vacation and not vacation for me right now, though, is not such a difficult transition.