The ascent—or descent , depending on how you
16
looked at it—into the grind of our daily lives was
so slow, we didn’t notice it creep up on us.
Late nights at work became the rule, not the exception,
for both of us. My husband of five years, Jason, and I
had become workaholics.
One exhausted Friday night, as we silently ate our
ordered-in pizza dinner and read through work emails
on our phones, Jason surprised me.
“We should go on vacation,” he said, just as his phone
buzzed yet again.
Not even sure if he was entirely serious, I jumped
on board. I told him I agreed, and unlocked my
phone—this time, to research a vacation destination.
Peering onto my screen from beside me, he suggested
somewhere outdoorsy.
My thumbs landed on a locale within driving distance,
offering a bounty of fresh air, trails and a bit of ecoculture:
Sebring, Florida and the surrounding cities of
Avon Park and Lake Placid.
OLD HABITS DIE HARD
As fervent outdoor enthusiasts, Jason and I were thrilled
to begin our first day at the stunning Highlands Hammock
State Park. Our drive there was pleasant, with green
shrubs and trees flanking the highway. While I tried to
relax and let go, my phone was beckoning me to check my
email from my purse. I took a look, and knew immediately
it was a mistake as the stresses of work-life came
flooding back in.
“ Something clicked in my mind : if I had
been watching my phone instead of living
in the moment, I could have missed this.”
“Work can wait, babe,” Jason reminded me. He had been
brave enough to turn off his notifications completely.
FLORIDA’S
SOLUTION TO THE
DAILY GRIND
Sebring is Calling
by Ashley Donde