Family Trip 2014 | Florida & Bahamas
I think the most gorgeous moments on this cruise were the sunsets while at sea: the first one as we pulled away from New York City and the second one as we closed in on the NYC skyline on July 4th to see a cascade of fireworks. It was pretty chilly on deck but with a towel wrapped around me, I was so happy just sitting there. For a moment, I wished time would just stop. The moment felt so unreal, so fleeting... Everything was perfect. The sea breeze. The smell of the ocean. The quiet murmur of the guests. The egg yolk sunset on the horizon. The fireworks in the distance. It was all so beautiful. It felt like a dream and I did not want to wake up.
All good things must end though... otherwise they wouldn't be treasured so much in our memories. That goes for a lot of things in life. Sometimes we don't come to appreciate the things we have or the people that love us until they're gone. But other times, you realize how much you love something only to know that it won't last. It captivates you to the point that you don't want to let go, even though you know it'll only hurt you in the end. Just like this trip... What are vacations but momentary escapes from reality, this quiet desperation that we call life. This trip was a true testament to that. I am so grateful that I was able to spend time by myself away from everything, free from worries. Yet at the same time, I wonder, was it worth tasting freedom when at the end of the day, you're back to where you started? I constantly tell myself that in the end, it's the experience that matters. But to what ends though? The future me that can look back on all of this and say that all these experiences internalized was what created who I am? I wish I was able to live fully for the present, the now. But then again, we wouldn't be human if we didn't sigh at the past and worry for the future...
I think the most gorgeous moments on this cruise were the sunsets while at sea: the first one as we pulled away from New York City and the second one as we closed in on the NYC skyline on July 4th to see a cascade of fireworks. It was pretty chilly on deck but with a towel wrapped around me, I was so happy just sitting there. For a moment, I wished time would just stop. The moment felt so unreal, so fleeting... Everything was perfect. The sea breeze. The smell of the ocean. The quiet murmur of the guests. The egg yolk sunset on the horizon. The fireworks in the distance. It was all so beautiful. It felt like a dream and I did not want to wake up.
All good things must end though... otherwise they wouldn't be treasured so much in our memories. That goes for a lot of things in life. Sometimes we don't come to appreciate the things we have or the people that love us until they're gone. But other times, you realize how much you love something only to know that it won't last. It captivates you to the point that you don't want to let go, even though you know it'll only hurt you in the end. Just like this trip... What are vacations but momentary escapes from reality, this quiet desperation that we call life. This trip was a true testament to that. I am so grateful that I was able to spend time by myself away from everything, free from worries. Yet at the same time, I wonder, was it worth tasting freedom when at the end of the day, you're back to where you started? I constantly tell myself that in the end, it's the experience that matters. But to what ends though? The future me that can look back on all of this and say that all these experiences internalized was what created who I am? I wish I was able to live fully for the present, the now. But then again, we wouldn't be human if we didn't sigh at the past and worry for the future...
I enjoyed this trip a lot but there were definitely a lot of things that made me reflect. The first thing was going to Sea World. Having watched Black Fish and other documentaries about these whales, I was torn about going here. I want to say I didn't have a choice because my family decided that we'd go but in fact, I did. Not speaking up and not saying no to Sea World was on my part a choice, if only an unconscious one. To be honest, I did enjoy the show because the orcas were so beautiful. I loved the way they swam so gracefully through the water. To add to that, I got to see animals from so many places around the world and I have to be grateful for that experience. I'm not arguing that what Sea World is doing is right nor am I going to make a case for animals activists in protest of Sea World. I'm simply saying that I'm glad I was able to witness the beauty of these animals first hand.
The second thing is I love coffee way too much to quit. And yet, here I am quitting lolz. This one week I fell into a relapse and probably OD'ed on everything coffee related but oh wells. It's only one week anyway. I already miss the flavor of a black dark roast in the morning. Nothing beats the smell of coffee and nothing quite hits the spot as a cup of coffee. -sighs-
The second thing is I love coffee way too much to quit. And yet, here I am quitting lolz. This one week I fell into a relapse and probably OD'ed on everything coffee related but oh wells. It's only one week anyway. I already miss the flavor of a black dark roast in the morning. Nothing beats the smell of coffee and nothing quite hits the spot as a cup of coffee. -sighs-