I don’t like sushi.
For years, I wanted to like it. Friends would say, “Do you feel like sushi?” and I’d say, “sure.” But you could practically hear the reluctant shrug in my voice. Sometimes friends noticed it and would offer some other option. “Oh, well, how about Italian?” And I’d say, “Yeah, that sounds good.”
But I never shut anyone down if they suggested sushi. I’d play along and order a California roll and it was OK. But I don’t really like sushi.
It took me years to own that fact. I didn’t want it to be true about myself. I think it’s because it reminded me of those people who don’t eat fish or any vegetables. It felt picky and unsophisticated, which is not who I wanted to be.
But after you get to a certain age, you just stop trying to be something you’re not — or at least you should, right? And so now I just own this fact: I don’t like sushi.
There are other things that are fairly popular that I just can’t get behind: big parties (too socially anxious!), pedicures (too ticklish!), eating corn on the cob (too messy!) to name a few.
But there is one thing that I’ve had to just accept that I don’t really like that usually shocks people. It’s so universally popular that it’s often mentioned as something people want to do more of, or they bemoan they don’t do enough of. It often lands on people’s bucket lists of what they’d do with lottery winnings or when they retire. And many a dating profile includes a passion for it, too.
Travel!
I know, I know, it’s shocking. I do like the idea of travel: going to amazing places and exploring the sites, sounds, culture and food. But I just don’t like a lot of the practical aspects: the actual traveling (especially if it’s by plane) or the lodging situation (hotel or otherwise); I prefer my home, my bed with my stuff already there. So, truth is, pandemic or not, I prefer my trips to be short and sweet — just like the micro-cations that are featured in this month’s issue of Metro Parent.
This year will go down as truly memorable for a lot of not-so-happy reasons — worry about your family’s health and livelihood, loss of friends, family and members of our greater community, curtailed lives that have affected our children’s education, our jobs and our sanity. And while we are still coping with a lot of this, we’ve also got to try to make some good memories to counteract the bad and to lift our spirits during challenging times. Planning a short getaway is just the thing to do that.
Happy Trails!
