I played soccer in college and coached high school soccer in the off season, so by the time I graduated my identity was very much wrapped around being an athlete. While I was student teaching the following spring, I tore my ACL playing in a spring league. Since I couldn’t take any time off while student teaching, I had to wait three months to have surgery, and then it was another six months of physical therapy and such before I could really start exercising regularly. During that time I learned to adjust to a new version of myself. It seems like there are moments in our lives like these that call for us to shift who we are.
Now that I am a mom, I am here again, changing, but also trying to remain true to myself. A huge part of me is adventure, so I romantically envisioned myself with my baby on my back, but continuing on. I’m finding it a bit more complicated, though. In trying to decide upon a travel destination, we considered Costa Rica. My parents bravely moved our family to Costa Rica when I was 11 months old. If they can do it, I can visit there for a week, right? I had an amazing time with 3 of my girlfriends over a Spring Break several years ago. I would feel totally comfortable taking my daughter there. Then reality hits.
Now that I am a mom, I am here again, changing, but also trying to remain true to myself. A huge part of me is adventure, so I romantically envisioned myself with my baby on my back, but continuing on. I’m finding it a bit more complicated, though. In trying to decide upon a travel destination, we considered Costa Rica. My parents bravely moved our family to Costa Rica when I was 11 months old. If they can do it, I can visit there for a week, right? I had an amazing time with 3 of my girlfriends over a Spring Break several years ago. I would feel totally comfortable taking my daughter there. Then reality hits.
We have to go in the summer, rainy season. No problem; she’ll need afternoon naps every
day, anyways! Then I envision our car
stuck in the mud, or rolling over, with my sweet little girl. Who is this person? I have never been one to think of these
scenarios. Stop it! Then I remember the flying cockroaches. They won’t hurt her—it’s okay. Oh, but those mosquitoes. No big deal when it’s just me, but my
precious baby? I don’t want her to have
to suffer. Can I put Jungle Juice on my 1
year old? Probably not. Hmmm…
As I read the descriptions of all the great things to do, I
want to go zip lining again. It was my
favorite. Ele can just ride with me,
right? Or Rick can just hold her while I
go, and then he can go. Maybe we can
ride horses? Oh, I suppose we
shouldn’t.
I will take our girl to Costa Rica, but maybe not while
she’s this young, too young for malaria pills, it seems. I don’t want to allow for my fears to take
over. I want to teach Ele to be a risk
taker, and traveling is such a great way to teach her so many things. I know that we would have an amazing trip
with her if we did go, but I am going to try another idea, and hope this one
doesn’t get cast down as I try to keep that piece of myself that I love.
All pictures taken by me on an old fashioned film camera! 1) Monteverde Cloud Rain Forest 2)Manuel Antonio National Park 3) Dominical 4) Monteverde Cloud Rain Forest
