This past Labor Day Weekend, our three adult children, daughter-in-law and new grandson traveled to Seeley Lake, Montana. It was our fourth summer in a row to make the trek, the first with our three children and this time we were seven total. We traveled in two cars from Bozeman to Seeley Lake Tamaracks Resort, a pristine, impeccable, for generations family run Montana resort.It was, for me, the most connecting family vacation I've experienced, and there were three elements that created this highly esteemed outing. First, we were all sleeping in the same cabin instead of separate ones as we had in the past; next, we were relatively drama-free, and finally, we were each responsible for the creation and leadership of a one hour group activity.
These group activities were each unique because everyone made their own choices--and there was no collaboration. In one session, we each talked about visions of the future. Another time we jumped in the early morning freezing lake. We played badminton and wrote letters to the baby for him to read at some future date (those dates ranged from when he's ten to when he becomes an Uncle). We sat together and napped, read, wrote letters and played on a laptop. We played cards, a game from our daughter-in-law's heritage, and finally, we did an affirmation process that had the feel of a meditation.
The willingness of each person to participate fully (and to sometimes not) was inspiring and fine and caused me to wonder what else might be possible. We bring meaning into our lives, give it ground and substance through traditions that say, "This is who we are." I'm dreaming now of how we, together as a family, can give back to humanity. What better way to support our love and spread it out.
P.S. Check out Ms. Lieberman's book on family celebrations for a plethora of ideas.
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