Coming Home Again
I can’t tell you how good it feels to be back here.
There are some vacations that see you crying on the plane when it’s time to come home, the ones that open up, as my friend said a couples of years ago, “a vortex of disappointment in your life.”
And then there are the ones from which you return eager to slip into your own bed, to flip through magazines to find new dinner possibilities, to settle into the couch that’s your own. Vacation begins to feel heavy (maybe it’s all the red meat and ice cream). And rather than feel pinned down by the prospect of settling back in to your daily routines, the day-in day-out of living as you do, you feel quite happy to return to them. The refrigerator vegetable drawer. The walk to the gym. The hiss of the coffee pot in the morning, and the quiet turning down of the house at night.
This is one of my favorite by-products of vacation: that we’re able to get that rare perspective on our lives, and to feel rested enough to want to reshape them in new ways. Vacation reminded me of how much I love fancy lunches, and how badly I need to reinstate them. Vacation introduced me to new flavors, and made me––for what I think is the first time in a long time––excited about cooking. Not the rote mechanics of getting dinner on the table, but the artistic fun of experimenting with recipes and embracing the unknown.
And perhaps most of all, vacation reminded me of a lost love. We were hosted with so much generosity and thought by Sebastian’s best friend. Greeted with gift bags and sparkling wine. Drawn maps. Served endless cuts of meat. Months ago, at my last dinner party, I walked into the kitchen and cursed everything. The guests. The meal. My freakin’ 900 degree kitchen. I had become the kind of host that, well, I hate. The one that’s lost sight of the joy and generosity of providing the occasion for loved ones to put on their party clothes, talk about their favorite books, drink too much and confess things they’ll regret in the morning. At the risk of embarrassing our host terribly, he does this all beautifully, all while still managing to cook the kind of meals that make the heart sigh and head spin.
In this way, vacation made me come back to my own life wanting to make it more vibrant. To not so blithely take for granted the people and things I’ve wanted my whole life to have and now, miraculously, do. And to open my doors again, to my home and even to this site, and remember the delight of inviting people in and having them stay awhile.
Adrienne: Welcome back, friend!
I had a vacation like that last summer; we planned this long (for us, anyway) trip out to Portland and Seattle. We had a wonderful time, for sure, but I was positively itching to get my rested, rejuvenated self back into the kitchen and the general swing of things when we got back.1 year ago
BethP: Welcome home, Sarah!!!
I have been worried that I’ll feel that vortex of disappointment when I return from my own upcoming vacation (what a thing to be thinking about when I have almost two weeks of escape ahead of me… I’m totally becoming a dreadful worrywort). It is comfortng to think about feeling rejuevenated and renewed instead–now that is something to look forward to!1 year ago
Sarah in DC: Welcome back, Sarah! This is such a beautifully written post, and exactly what I needed to hear this morning. I think the part that struck me the most was “to not so blithely take for granted the people and things I’ve wanted my whole life to have and now, miraculously, do”. How easy it is to get stuck in one’s routine, and be unaware of all the beauty that surrounds us! As always, you challenge us to look around at our little universes and marvel at the tiny things that we so often forget. I love our little community here.
1 year ago
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday: This was a beautiful post. It is exactly the way I feel about vacations. It really does make you want to change your day-to-day to make it feel like a vacation, but at the same time you appreciate what you have at home.1 year ago
Reading your comments makes me so appreciate, as Sarah in DC said, our little community here. I’m so grateful for it. Usually I really do haaaate coming back from vacation, but this time, it’s really kind of okay, even great. It’s nice to remember how much your regular life’s got going for it.1 year ago
Julia (Color Me Green): that’s great when home welcomes you back. i had become vacation averse lately, feeling there was no point as i would just be returning to the same depressing situation as always. so, even better, i finally made a leap to change my depressing home situation. and now lo and behold, i’m excited about traveling again!1 year ago
Lisa (dinner party): That’s the best feeling: to go away on a big adventure and still feel good about coming home to normal life. Crying on planes sucks. I’m so glad you had fun–but am glad to have you back here! xo1 year ago
Katie: What a great, uplifting post – glad you had a good time and enjoy being at home again!1 year ago
Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams: “Vacation made me come back to my own life wanting to make it more vibrant.” I LOVE that. We’re about to be in transition over here (moving from TX to Boston), but you continue to inspire me to savor the everyday, even when it’s not “ideal.”
So glad you had a fabulous time, and that you wanted to come back. I’ve cried on planes before, and it’s NO FUN. Welcome back – we’ve missed you!1 year ago
ciaochowlinda: This was so well said, and welcome to read especially I came back a couple of days ago from a vacation where I gained a new appreciation for so many things.1 year ago
Sara Rose: Welcome home, sister. In some ways, big or small, it’s always good to come home again. Hugs. BTW, be on the lookout in the mail for a special something in the next week or two! It may contain an illustrious aqua and red set of things that have been missing! MUAH!1 year ago
sebastian: There’s a reason they call it home sweet home and not vacation sweet vacation. So well said! I love the photos too.1 year ago
Jenious: Your photos speak as much as your lovely words. I especially like the “peanuts and playing cards” shot. Cheers to your homecoming.1 year ago
Julia, Congrats on the big leap and the return to the fun of traveling…and coming home.
Lisa, I’m so glad to BE back and looking forward to drinking more fizzy wine with you!
Katie, Yeah, thumbs down on plane crying. But thumbs up to life-changing moves!
ciaochowlinda, It’s the most marvelous feeling, isn’t it? The feeling that you ate too much, maybe not so awesome, but the feeling of setting down your bags and being glad for it is great.
Sara Rose, Ooooh! Yay! I can hardly wait!
Sebastian, So true, traveling partner. I wish our peanuts and playing cards pic had turned out better (you would have loved it even more, Jenious!), but I’m glad to have these shots of our trip.1 year ago
lisa strawberry: Missed your posts while you were gone! Welcome back, Sara!
You were gone the exact same time my sister’s been in Germany and France. I’m picking her up at the airport in a few hours. I look forward to her stories and to settling back in with her and appreciating her special magic.
I look forward to stories from your trip! Looks like you went to Spain! Please share with us!!1 year ago
Erin: Bienvenidos! I was left in a vortex of disappointment not to have Pink of Perfection posts to read. That said, you ARE allowed to go on vacation now and then! So glad you’re back. Your absence made me realize which blogs mean the most to me.1 year ago
Jaime: Welcome back- lovely post!1 year ago
Brooke: I loved this post! I’m currently vacationing in Seoul, Korea and after 7 days of excitement and amazement, day 8 suddenly became exhausting and overwhelming. We head home tomorrow and now that I’m packing up things to leave, I’m looking forward not only to my own lovely slice of ordinary life, but also to the way this trip has opened my eyes to places, spaces, and people that will (I hope) change the way I think about things once I’m home. I love the idea of vacation being a living memory.1 year ago
Avril Lobo: I know EXACTLY what you mean! Over two years ago, I sobbed (and how!) on a flight back home from a fab Singaporean holiday. But a few months ago on another long-awaited, much-needed vacation, I found myself experiencing many of the same feelings you write about. There came a point when I wanted to return home, to feel the familiarity and buzz that Mumbai has! Mid-way I felt refreshed and alive again…impatiently awaiting the chance to freshen up the house, throw a fun dinner party, and yes…discover my ‘cooking’ mojo! But here’s the thing – I know I want my life to be about more. I dream of having our own home, a patch of sky, a bit of grass, and simple pleasures like enjoying a glass of wine in the shade of lush bamboo in our garden. The vacation simply reinforced my need to drift towards a stress-free (or greatly reduced at least) life. Until then, the joy of those happy vacation memories power my days and help me enjoy what is! Cheers, Av1 year ago
Jen: Hooray, you’re back! So happy you had the best kind of vacation–where you’re happy to be there, happy to come home, and a little different for the experience.1 year ago
Jen in NH: Ahhhhh. Perfectly put. I think I need a vacation.
Welcome back! You were missed.1 year ago
EB: Welcome home darling1 year ago
Ellen: Welcome back! Glad you had a wonderful vacation but missed your blogs! Looking forward to new recipes and will be wanting to try the spinach salad-looks delicious and I love smoked paprika!1 year ago