The Vacation We Already Had

1 Corinthians 16:14 – “Let all that you do be done in love.”  

They say time flies when you’re having fun, but that nine-hour car ride to Tennessee felt more like crawling through molasses.

We had piled into two cars—my dad, his new wife, her boys, my sister and her family, my best friend, and me—and drove the whole way. For a tween, that felt like forever and a day and a thousand “are we there yets” stuck in a car.

When our caravan finally rolled into Gatlinburg, we checked every tourist box: souvenir shops, ice cream stands, hiking a mountain or two. And yes, an old-timey country music show that I vowed—loudly—not to attend.

We went anyway. And if I’m honest, the only thing I remember is seeing a cute boy and getting my very first crush.

But years later, that’s not what I hold on to.

The real treasure was back at the rental house.

That little cabin tucked in the trees, became the center of it all. We would pile into the kitchen and cook up whatever groceries we grabbed. We played board games with missing pieces. We argued. We laughed and laughed and stayed up too late.

And that was the best part.

Not the boy. Not the Smoky Mountains. Not even the pictures we took.

All the places we visited were just backdrops. The real story? It happened around the dinner table, on the living room floor, over pancakes and pillow talk and time together.

And here’s what I have come to believe:

You don’t have to travel to find that kind of wonder.

The best parts of life don’t require tickets or plans. They require simple love. A few unhurried moments around the table together. A Bible open before bed. Laughter that’s not rushed. Togetherness that isn’t scheduled, but chosen.

That is what it’s all about.

So, don’t wait for a vacation to make space for the people who matter. Start now. Tonight. Right here, in your own home. Because the best part of life? You don’t even have to ask, “Are we there yet?”

You’re already there.