A Year of Unplanning

2020 has been a year of unplanning. Time away and a theatre production in March give way to a lock down. A cruise and engagement party for a loved one in June become another forced week at home. Theatre reservations fall away. A cruise to celebrate a significant anniversary is cancelled, re-booked for the opposite coast and then cancelled altogether. Wedding plans for a daughter are postponed for a year, maybe more.

Our one remaining time away is a few days at a timeshare resort not too far from home. We bought into this dream when our children were small and our budget was tight. We paid our part and lived up to our end of the deal. In turn, we enjoy happy family vacations, getaways and reunions there.

This visit is different. Instead of time exploring local beaches, theatres and shops in the area, we stay close to our room. It is a time of quiet discovery. The world has become smaller.

• We examine the physiology of a bright green grasshopper perched on a railing.
• We delight in father and mother birds giving flying lessons to their chicks.
• We watch shiny beetles attracted to wild roses.
• We visit the herb gardens and marvel at the tall dill set to bloom.
• We delight in the Ontario wildflowers growing close to the paths.

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This year has been a difficult one and paths moving forward remain uncertain. For resorts like the one we visit, significant change is coming. To an administrator at a big company, an interval owner may seem as frail as a grasshopper on a railing close to a nest of birds. Still, those who invested in the fading dream need to be heard and respected. They need to be allowed to make the choices that the court has confirmed. It will help to remember birds and wildflowers as they move towards a new path. 2020 is a year for unplanning.