The married life
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28)
The Lord knows we all need times of rest, especially busy families. Rest means more than a time to relax. It is also a time to refresh and re-create, that is, to create anew.
Family vacations, however simple, are one way to accomplish this.
Vacations offer a precious pause from the regular rhythms of life, inviting us to let go of our worries and simply be present. For families, these breaks hold a special kind of peace. They provide not only rest for the body and mind, but also opportunities to deepen bonds, spark laughter and create stories that will be retold around dinner tables for years to come.
Whether resting at the beach in the shade of a tree or traveling far from home, these shared experiences become woven into the fabric of our family history.
Vacations don’t have to require spending a lot of money, though saving up for these special times is a wise investment.
When our children were young we couldn’t afford trips to the mainland except the occasional trip to visit the grandparents. Nor could we afford to go to the neighboring islands. So for many years our vacations involved camping at Malaekahana, Bellows and other campsites on Oahu, which were more budget-friendly.
Having not grown up camping myself, it was sometimes hard for me to adjust to the rustic aspects of outdoor living such as showering by a tree, using a flashlight to go to the restroom in the middle of the night, or trying to sleep with a tree root poking into my back.
However, none of these “hardships” were hard for the kids. In fact, it was part of the adventure, and they just loved being out in nature together as a family.
Our son loved to catch fish, boogieboard or build a fire. The girls liked to build hidden houses in the bushes, bodysurf and eat by the campfire. Hunting crabs at night with flashlights was always fun.
When we first began camping it was rather primitive. We basically had a tent and sleeping bags, and cooked canned stew and soup for dinner.
As the years went by we became more sophisticated, getting inflatable mattresses, propane lamps and a camp stove. Pancakes and bacon for breakfast and Kahuku corn and steak became favorites for dinner. The camping evolution made everything more comfortable and easier, especially for me!
Over the years we had many adventures and misadventures.
One year we went camping at Bellows with a military family who had children the same ages as our children. During the night it poured rain — a real deluge. When we all got up in the morning, our campsite and tents were surrounded by pools of water and everything was soaking wet.
To our surprise, all the other campers had packed up and left during the night. We decided to stay, and the sun eventually dried everything up. The kids had a great time.
Now that our children are grown we see how much these camping trips meant to them. They frequently reminisce about those days, and they have passed on the love of the outdoors and family vacations with their own children. They love national parks, hiking and camping. They are forming their own family memories.
I haven’t been camping myself in years, but the memories are still there, and I like to see the trend passed on to the next generation.
I do have compassion on those who struggle to have vacations. I pray they can find creative ways to experience peace and rest and re-creation with their families.
Reflecting on Pope Leo XIV’s recent summer break outside Rome, Ashley Noronha of the “Relevant in Rome” podcast reflected that “true rest and hospitality don’t cost a dime. What we really long for in those moments of retreat is not just luxury, but meaning, and meaning is found in encounter. Whether it’s an encounter with nature, with others or with God himself, those are the moments that give life its richness.”