We Find What We're Looking For

Note from Jamie

I like to share things that light me up, fill me with joy, and make my life easier. Nothing is sponsored. These are just things that are helping me along my journey.

We Find What We're Looking For

One of my life mantras is this:

"We find what we're looking for, so look for the good."

We just got back from our trip to Orlando, and I could tell you two very different stories about our vacation.

Story #1

Orlando was HOT. The "feels like" temperature was consistently over 100 degrees with humidity that made it hard to breathe.

The traffic was awful.

The air conditioner at our VRBO wasn't working properly, and the house was still 80 degrees when we tried to sleep.

Emma's volleyball team lost. A lot. And it felt like Emma spent more time on the sidelines than on the court.

I badly burned my arm on the air fryer basket.

I cut my toe on a seashell.

I got sick.

Honestly, that's enough to make anyone wonder why they ever left home.

Story #2

The pool at our VRBO was perfect, and I swam like a fish nearly every day.

The volleyball tournament had theme days that were an absolute blast. One day was a sea of pink. Another was Hawaiian Day. Athletes and parents alike went all out, and the energy was contagious.

Emma's team was placed in a bracket three levels above where they normally compete, and they battled neck-and-neck in every match. They showed grit and heart.

I got to know the parents of Emma's teammates so much better. They are supportive, encouraging, and genuinely fun people.

We explored Kennedy Space Center, floated through Wekiwa Springs, spent a day at Volcano Bay, wandered around Winter Park, and played on Cocoa Beach as the sun set over the ocean.

The VRBO host refunded us $500 because of the air conditioning issues.

We shared great meals.

We took a beautiful boat ride.

We learned new things.

Most importantly, we had uninterrupted time together as a family.

Here's the thing...

Both stories are completely true.

Early in the trip, I made a decision. I wasn't going to pretend the frustrating things weren't happening. I wasn't going to ignore the heat, the broken air conditioner, the disappointments, or getting sick.

But I also wasn't going to let those things become the entire story.

I wanted to be fully present with my family. I wanted to have fun. I wanted to look for the good.

This vacation reminded me that life gives us this choice over and over again.

We can rehearse every disappointment and collect evidence that things aren't going our way.

Or...

We can acknowledge what's hard, feel what we need to feel, and then intentionally notice all the good that's happening alongside it.

Because there is always good.

Sometimes we just have to decide that's what we're going to look for.

The truth is, we find what we're looking for.

So today, look for kindness.

Look for beauty.

Look for laughter.