Boston
Ahhh…Massachusetts. What a breath of fresh air.
It didn’t hurt that our campground was on a marina with a picturesque lighthouse. As a Florida girl who grew up around water, it should go without saying that I much preferred it to our Brooklyn parking lot.
No offense Brooklyn.
And of course, while we set up, Edley ran straight for the sand.
I honestly don’t know if it is possible for her to not touch sand. It’s like a magnet to her. But that’s okay because I got to sit and watch the boats and listen to the gulls with the bay breeze blowing while watching her play.
Our campground was in Salem and sadly we did not take the chance to explore the witch trials or see any of the sights. We read up on it and talked about it in the car while driving through, but saved all of our energy for Boston.
And man, am I glad we did.
We went in to town that afternoon and went straight to Boston Common.
Wow.
Neither Justin nor I had ever been to Boston before, so we weren’t really sure what to expect.
And did I do any research before getting there? Nope.
Being an architectural historian and lover of all things history related, I have been told my entire life that I would love Boston and really should go.
I knew they weren’t wrong, but I had one picture in my head and the real life version blew that out of the water.
And of course, coming from New York, it did feel a little more reasonable.
That’s not the right word, but I can’t put my finger on it. More my size and not as overstimulating? Less to be freaked out by on every corner?
I felt like I could breathe.
I was told Boston is like New York but it’s gotten sober, taken a shower, and put its life back together and that makes perfect sense to me.
We drove to Boston Common and walked to some places suggested by my brother, including the most adorable book store. But first…I had to see Cheers and Justin had to sit on the Goodwill Hunting bench.
Call us goobers, but there you have it. And it was worth it!
Now in full transparency, this night in Boston looks amazing, but I was not on my best behavior. I was short with everyone and felt like I was losing my mind. Justin never called me a name, but I know he had to be thinking it. Heck, I was thinking it. “What is wrong with me?” kept ringing through my mind.
Fortunately, these emotions passed and I was able to apologize to my kids and Justin for being extremely witchy. I was able to sort out the root and realized I needed a pause. A reset. If only I could go to timeout and sit in my room alone for an hour…but no, not when you’re on the road with lots to see and do.
I also realized that after being in the cities, I was kind of stuck in fight or flight mode. Always on guard. Counting my kids and scanning the area. Making sure they are not near the street or in other peoples’ ways. Perpetually tense.
I’m not a helicopter mom, but the cities and the go-go-go brought that overly protective/scared side out and it wreaked havoc on me. I don’t like that feeling and I don’t like the way I talk to my kids when I’m like that.
So…when planning our next trip, this is helpful information to remember as we decide where to go. More importantly though, it also gives me an opportunity to ask God to grow me in those areas. These aren’t areas that are new and just pop up, they are deep down and under pressure, they expose themselves. I can treat the symptoms, but I feel like it is God who can dig up the roots and get rid of it, as long as I am willing.
So that was night one in Boston. It was a beautiful night and we couldn’t have asked for better weather as we walked Boston Common, Public Garden, Beacon Hill, and Back Bay. The kids sang at the top of their lungs, ran through the parks chasing squirrels, and fortunately had their dad, who was in a good mood, keep their spirits high while I scowled from the back of the pack.
Good thing we had a second day and I was able to show up differently than the first...
