We started 2022 at a resort on the Yucatan, a work trip of sorts for my husband. It was, to put it simply, absolutely wonderful. Like everyone managing life during this never-ending pandemic, we were in desperate need for a mindless break.

Traveling was not for the faint of heart. Omicron is raging in the US and yet there were groups of people at the terminal who didn’t want to wear a mask. The flight attendants had to regularly remind, cajole, beg passengers to wear their masks during the flights both directions. Once we arrived at the resort, we were lucky to have plenty of space to be on our own. We sought out restaurants with patios or space. We sat away from others on the beach or by the pool. We enjoyed being outside, taking naps, reading, swimming, sailing, and just staring at the ocean waves.

I didn’t realize how behind we were on sleep until we were mid-week. We were both able to shake off bad moods we had been carrying around for months. I haven’t seen my husband smile like this for far too long.

I feel very fortunate we were able to take this trip, enjoy each other, have great weather, and get home without becoming infected. Now, to carry forward this good energy into our work and home lives, and to remember how important this sort of downtime is to our wellbeing and marriage.

-KDW