261 : I Can See the Sun

The past year had been one of soul searching, reflection and a significant amount of personal growth.  A lot had changed in my life and I was doing my best to adjust.  There were some things, though, that would never change.  One of which was my need to have plans to look forward to.  Particularly during the winter when the cold weather and gray skies seemed to overpower any good that was in one's life.  I had identified the need to book a vacation during the winter years ago and followed through every year since.  Two years ago, my Ex and I went to Mexico for a long weekend.  I was pregnant at the time with our second child.  The trip was totally relaxing - all we did was eat, read and sleep the entire time.  Little did I know that just 10 months later he would abandon me, but I digress.  Last year I went to Hilton Head with my family (see post #29).  That trip was a huge turning point in my emotional recovery last year.  It was the beginning of a shift where I actually began to accept what was happening in my life.  This year I was doing something a little different.  That's right, I had a getaway coming in the near future but it was for work.  Now this was not the typical vacation that I planned, but I was still excited because I would get warm weather and sunshine.  I was attending a shoot for work, which technically I had no responsibility for, but rather was going as a learning opportunity.  And I was looking forward to this, too.  Not only would it be fun there, it would also be some professional benefit in my attending this that could be applied moving forward.  So my days would be guided by someone else's schedule and there would not be much down time, but I didn't care.  Sunshine.  Warm weather.  Professional growth.  Free.  What more was there to say?