There are countless things to get done before the date is upon us. The date I speak of is when we leave for vacation. We do not take this responsibility lightly, as returning from a major respite we should not have to fall into the need to deal with a bunch of odds and ends that should have been wiped from the slate prior to our departure. To that end we have both visited the dentist recently, I’ve been to my doctor to ensure my health is as good as it can be and that my prescriptions are cared for through September. Our taxes were done on time this year, basic apartment maintenance as it pertains to summer has been dealt with. Perishable foods in the fridge have been consumed.

The car will have a full tank of gas waiting for our return, the plants will have been watered, the A/C set so we are not too uncomfortable the evening our flight lands. All of our bills are on auto-pay, but then again they always are. While out on the road or riverway our minds should be unencumbered with thoughts of future responsibilities or worries about what we might have forgotten. It’s inevitable that there are things we’ll need while out and about, but to the best of our ability, we check and recheck our minds for things we’ve needed on previous journeys, and for the two months prior to leaving we see our fair share of Amazon deliveries.

We do not go on vacation unless we are able to detach from everything out of our normal routines. Our time away from home should be focused on doing, exploring, and learning.

This should all be obvious, but our earliest days of vacationing usually intruded into busy schedules that saw us dropping everything at the last minute and bailing out. All of those things we were pushing out to a more convenient time simply got pushed again and then upon getting home, we’d feel a bit overwhelmed by everything we needed to catch up on. We’d fly out of state or country with dishes needing to be washed or get home with moldy leftovers and veggies in the fridge. Now we leave with every stitch of laundry washed and fresh sheets on the bed.

Why am I sharing these silly details? Because by making time for all the things we clear out of our routine responsibilities, they go far in helping lend a greater sense of luxury to our travels. It’s an exercise in personal responsibility that adds an incredible amount of value to our enjoyment. So prior to your next vacation be sure to clean the toilet, mop your floors, vacuum, see your doctor, change the oil in the car, don’t forget to put your mail on hold, ask someone to keep your door clear of ads, flyers and other things that will let people know you are away. Vacations are a reset that reminds you of how important breaking out of patterns is and that while you are out learning, playing, and exploring that you are finding some of the best parts of what it is to be a better person.