The boat approached a small, emerald island jutting out of deep blue waters and we finally got a glimpse of our paradise for the next 7 days. The surroundings were surreal - so stunningly beautiful that they seemed plucked out of a movie (indeed they were… the movie The Beach was filmed in the area).
Then we saw it... Tucked into a small cove flanked by soaring limestone cliffs was the resort where our beachfront bungalow awaited us on Lagen Island in the Philippines. My heart leapt in my chest with excitement!
Finally… I could relax and let all of the stress of the past weeks go. We’d arrived at the the family vacation destination of our dreams despite all of the hurdles life had been throwing at us, all of which come with the territory when you’re a parent: the seemingly endless doctors visits and countless sleepless nights when your child is sick. Being able to go on this vacation at all was a true gift... one I could've easily robbed myself of if I hadn't shifted my perspective.