After a whirlwind several days in Atlanta at the RWA conference, I’m now with my dad and stepfamily in the Allegheny National Forest area of Pennsylvania. The solitude and limited access to technology is forcing me to slow down and be present. 
Yesterday I fought frustration at not being able to call my husband (or anyone) because of the lack of cell service (or landlines in our cabin), or send/receive emails in a timely manner unless I went to the main lodge.
Twenty-four hours later, I’m actually relieved to be untethered to the rest of the world. This is what a vacation should be…a true break from the reality, responsibilities, and obligations of daily life. This is how it used to be before fax machines, cell phones, and the internet made us available to everyone at all times.
Nowadays, I rarely vacation with adults who are able to fully leave the office behind for an entire week. Vacation time today should be renamed ‘relocation’ time since employees routinely respond to emails and work issues while on their vacations. It’s sad to realize our kids will never know a world without instant-access except when we find little gems like Glendorn.
With the exception of writing this brief blog post, I plan to use my remaining days here to unwind, let my imagination run free, and engage with my family instead of my laptop. I highly recommend planning a family vacation at a location such as this one so you can unplug for a week guilt-free.
Where are you vacationing this summer? I challenge you to leave your cell phone behind!
xo-jamie
