As is the wont at this time of year, I find myself being reflective these past few days. Looking back on the year that was 2024, I can’t help but be amazed. As much as it was a year of grieving, it was also a year of taking full advantage of the opportunities afforded me in life.
The year began on a sombre note, the result of the passing of my mother-in-law in December 2023. Her loss impacted my wife incredibly; the ramifications are still being felt a year later. Yet through the grief and pain came growth. One thing that resulted from Pauline’s passing was for Isabelle and I to more-fully embrace the fact that life is short, life is precious, life is unpredictable. Nothing is to be taken for granted, including the idea that we’ll have another day to do the things we’re putting off today.
For that reason, we did not hesitate to go on one of our dream vacations this year – Hawaii. We spent a phenomenal two weeks in Hawaii back in May which I’ve previously fully written about in the three below linked blog posts. (happy reading if you haven’t read them yet.)
This was not the sole major trip I took this year. In October, I went on another trip-of-a-lifetime, this one with my mother. We took an unbelievable trip to Egypt, going on a Nile cruise, visiting so many ancient sites and ruins that I’d been reading about my entire life. I can scarcely believe that I was able to not only see, but touch the Great Pyramid, let alone all of the other locations we visited.
The fact that I was able to travel halfway around the world in the course of a year leaves me in awe. I am eternally grateful for the position I find myself in life that allows me to live fully. I am thankful for the fact that Isabelle and I are both healthy, have well-paying jobs, and have the freedom and flexibility to do the things that call to us. This lead to a third big trip this year.
As any readers of this blog will know, we are Disney fans. In the sixteen years we’ve been together, Isabelle and I have gone to Walt Disney World seven times, we’ve been to Disneyland in California, as well as Disneyland Paris. The most recent of the seven visits to WDW was a semi-impulsive visit just a few weeks ago. While on vacation this summer for our birthdays, Isabelle brought up the idea of seeing if we could make a December trip to Disney World possible. We had long planned on doing a visit to Disney World during the Christmas season, but had always assumed this would be more of a once-we’re-retired kind of trip as we knew it would be busier and more expensive than we’re used to paying. But if there was a year to do a Disney Christmas trip, it was this year.
Isabelle’s mom was a Christmas lover. She always wanted to have the “perfect” Christmas, and thus put a lot of stress and pressure on herself (and by consequence her family) year after year. Not surprisingly, this had a bit of a negative impact on Isabelle through the years, causing her to not always be a huge fan of said season. Worried that her mother’s passing in December 2023 would even further impact her holiday spirit, Isabelle thought that a trip to WDW would be beneficial. “If Disney can’t boost my Christmas spirit, then nothing can.”
We took a week’s trip, leaving on November 30th, and returning on December 6th. Our visit was magical. Seeing the parks all decked out in holiday decor, Christmas music playing everywhere we went, delicious treats and food at every turn… it was truly a special trip. We even found it less busy than we anticipated, allowing us to do everything we wanted to do in the parks. We even took the time to do new things, such as visiting a few of the other resorts to see some of the Christmas decorations (and giant gingerbread creations).
2024 is unquestionably the most epic travel year that I have had thus far. In addition to the above trips were visits to Washington, DC and Quebec City as well. And while I recognize this was an exceptional year, I don’t for a minute believe that it will be the last such year we have. We had been saving up for two of the three big trips for some time, and have already begun discussing a few other big trip for the future. Time to start saving! I recognize the privileged life that I live, and take time daily to give thanks for the abundance (in every meaning of the word) that I experience in this life.
After a challenging end to 2023, we took a year to re-situate ourselves, as well as to experience life with renewed vigour. I am thus looking at 2024 as a reset year. We were reminded that life is meant to be lived. We learned to embrace opportunities that are presented to us, because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. We learned to dream big and believe. I want to carry the lessons learned this past year into 2025 and beyond. I anxiously await to see what marvels and adventures await me as we turn the page on the calendar tomorrow.
And what about you, dear reader? What were the highlights of your 2024? Are you anxiously awaiting 2025, or dreading its arrival? Share your reminiscences of 2024 and your plans for 2025! I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Musings of A Boxhead 