Mother’s Day Weekend 2023 (no.6)

Post #6

Terranea Resort

This place. While only an hour from Venice, feels like a world away. As if I’ve stepped into paradise, not only the stunning breathtaking views but how each person we come into contact with holds us with such thoughtful care. I’ve traveled a good part of the world and I’ve never quite experienced a staff of this magnitude and grace.

It feels like every individual here deeply loves their job beyond measure, not just a fake smile slapped on to check a box but a chosen vocation in service. That ability to bring a smile to another’s face just because you can, is rare and so welcomed.

This place. Feels like an altered universe and I never want to leave, I want to be held with his care and splendor forever.

My own vocation carries a lot of intensity, long hours and stress. Some by choice, because I love what I do and yet there are times the stress feels unmanageable and self imposed. I too strive like the staff here, to consistently exceed expectations and over deliver, produce excellence at all costs. And I’m learning that cost is higher than I might be aware. I push my team, creating urgency, I can be demanding, and overreact. Creating daily migraines in me and loads of resentment in those around me.  When we have a big win and deliver success, I notice I so rarely celebrate. I share words of gratitude and praise then I’m off to slay the next dragon.

This place. Being here in Terranea reminds me of how important it is to stop, reflect, do nothing, enjoy life, the moment, good food, a fruity cocktail, a well decorated room with thoughtful intention. And I’m just now seeing it, everything here, everything about this place is a reflection of me.

And isn’t that everything in life?

I’m driving to get here and because we left late I can feel myself stressed out, oozing toxic yuck. Leaving late meant I’d now have to wait in this big long car pool to pick up my daughter which meant we’d sit in rush hour traffic longer.

And I realized, what am I doing? I’m a big ball of poisonous energy so I can go relax and have fun?

That makes no sense.

We can have fun in this moment right now. I don’t need to be in paradise to relax. I get to choose how I want this drive to be.

So I put on some rocking 80’s music and I turn to my mother and say, “we’re gonna have fun this weekend, no matter what, god damnit!”

Without missing a beat, she responds “yeah and fuck the stupid people!”

I almost fell over, I’ve never heard my nearly 82 year old mother dropped the f bomb in all my life.

It felt like permission to unleash all the yuck I’ve been holding. All the unsaid things. So we both continued to swear up a storm while we just let it out. Laughing the entire way.

I could step outside this insane story I was telling myself, that I had to “get” somewhere to have fun and relax.

That fun is available to me in any moment of my choosing.

So, while it’s true, I may never want to leave this place, the bigger gift this Mother’s Day, even more than basking in luxury is that I get to create moment by moment the world and life I want to live and the story I want to tell.

I get to choose and that choice is priceless.

Thank you God, universe, nature, Terranea for all the abundance, choice, care and love that surrounds us.

Best. Mother’s Day. Ever.

PS I call this piece “no duh” because now it all seems so obvious.