A couple months ago, my family and I sat down to figure out what we wanted to do over our Christmas break. 

I had an itching feeling for an adventure. New Years Eve has been uneventful for pretty much my entire life. 

I figured that now would be a great time to start a new. I asked if we could all go to Florida as a family. We went to Sanibel Island in Florida way back when I was 4-years-old, but I was too young to remember. We decided that this was a great time to go down south and experience the Florida weather in Siesta Key. 

We left the morning after Christmas and drove nearly 20 hours to get to our spot. We had lots of fun conversations and I ate plenty of snacks. It was also relaxing for me because I had the opportunity to read a couple wrestling books. I am really grateful that my dad drove the entire way. I admire how he was able to provide robot-like focus when he was driving so we got there safely. 

We stayed about a half a mile away from the beach. My Grammy went with us and we decided to ride our bikes to the beach. When Grammy and I went for a ride during the first morning I noticed something strange. Apparently I forgot to turn the brake off my bike and I pedaled for over a mile with my brake on. I put in a real workout that day. Silly me. 

We had a fun time watching TV at night as well. We didn’t have cable, so I had to try to teach my parents about streaming services. This was easier said than done because my family had no idea how to use them. At the end of the day, we found the Ohio State/Clemson football game and all was right in the world. We were even able to find the popular 80s television show ‘Highway To Heaven’ on Netflix. I watched a few episodes of the show and I have to say that it was quite enjoyable. 

The beach was absolutely beautiful. We found an isolated part of the beach and placed our chairs near the ocean. I got an amazing tan and had pepperoni and cheese for lunch for a few days. Life couldn’t have been any better. 

I even got to overcome a struggle during this vacation. I was able to go in the water and stand in the waves. I was able to take on every wave and keep my balance. This was a huge step for me. The water was cold but I felt warm inside because of my small accomplishment. Going into the ocean and moving out of my comfort zone was great. 

On our final evening, we sat outside and watched the sunset. It was an incredible view as we saw the sun sink out of the red sky. 

My mom explained to me over the holiday season that it is important to live in the present. I am happy to say that I lived in the present during this unforgettable journey to the sunshine state. My family and I had an experience we will never forget. 

I will continue to be present during this semester and the rest of 2020!