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Abstract

ago, we were advised by the cruise line that there would be a “change in itinerary.” We would now be stopping at ports of call totally different from the ones on the original cruise lineup. This might not have bothered us so much if it hadn’t been for the fact that these new ports of call were exactly the same ones we had stopped at on a previous cruise. (Like I said, we aren’t rich, so these cruise vacations are exceptional experiences for us — no time in life to duplicate efforts).</p><p id="8ef0">The cruise line was very accommodating in their notification, saying that if we were not happy with this change of itinerary we could cancel and receive a “full” refund of monies already paid.</p><p id="2678">Ahh, the trickery involved in fancy wording.</p><p id="6129">Turns out, we will not be receiving a “full” refund — we will only receive a refund for the monies paid on the final payment. The cruise credit from our previous efforts will remain as a cruise credit on the books yet again. We are somewhat locked into the concept of planning yet another cruise for 2022 — in the hopes that the world finally does return to normal and we will set sail, at long last, on one of those vacation of a lifetime experiences.</p><p id="cd46">My husband is a little less than thrilled with this outcome. Oh, not because he doesn’t want to take another cruise. Oh no, he is chomping at the bit to get back on the high seas once again. No, he doesn’t like the fact that an outside force is controlling some portion of our money.</p><p id="e924">I, on the other hand, choose to take a positive view of things. We already have our down payment set aside. Something we want to do desperately is something we can plan at our convenience and not have to worry about coming up with the down payment money just yet.</p><p id="aa83">This is how I choose to live my life. I could be happy or I could be sad about the outcome of our cruise situation.</p><p id="a5b8">Either way, <b>my attitude does not change the outcome.</b></p><p id="8d05">But my attitude (my choice to be happy) does change how I look at the world and how excited I am about future possibilities.</p><p id="823d">I realize I don’t have control over everythin

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g that goes on around me. Actually, I have very little control over what goes on around me.</p><p id="cd7f">I can’t control those outside factors in life. I can control how I choose to look at them.</p><p id="73d4">Instead of grumbling about what went wrong (again!) I can put a smile on my face and start anticipating the planning stages for yet another great adventure.</p><p id="a4bc">I’m good with that.</p><p id="6577"><b>RECENT STORIES</b></p><div id="920c" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/i-love-to-be-on-vacation-i-hate-to-go-on-vacation-27c040dda555"> <div> <div> <h2>I Love to “Be” on Vacation — I Hate to “Go” on Vacation</h2> <div><h3>undefined</h3></div> <div><p>undefined</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*SUsDAf2txT3CW26f)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="338c" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/travel-the-real-rewards-come-later-2d2f726fc902"> <div> <div> <h2>Travel — The Real Rewards Come Later</h2> <div><h3>See the world — It’s the gift that keeps on giving.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*auKJbomB6u7nUHYS)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="df12" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/six-days-in-barbados-c50ef61c5809"> <div> <div> <h2>Six Days in Barbados</h2> <div><h3>Take every opportunity to live large with your gift of life.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*HAzx1opfJviC0JWp)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Are You Positive?

How you think is how you live your life.

Like just about everyone else these days, some aspects of my life have not been playing out exactly according to my preconceived plans for my perfect existence.

Let me give you a recent example. In 2020, my husband and I were scheduled to take a two week cruise in Europe. The itinerary encompassed many ports of call we were dying to see. We were truly excited. We are not rich by any means, so something this grand carried a lot of weight on our bucket list.

No surprise to anyone, the events of 2020 cast a pall over vacation plans for everyone. Rather than subject ourselves to the risks of such a trip or, being too impatient to wait for the cruise line to cancel the cruise, we pulled the plug ourselves.

So, rather than receive a 100% refund (as would have happened when the cruise line finally did cancel this, and all other, sailings) we received something like 80% as a refund and also received a future cruise credit to be used at sometime in the future.

Not being one to shy away from adventure, we were reasonably okay with this deal.

In 2021, as the world started to show signs of a rebirth, we booked a new cruise, similar to the one that got away, using our cruise credits as a down payment. As our sailing date drew near, and things were looking a bit hopeful in our eyes, we made our final payment.

Two days ago, we were advised by the cruise line that there would be a “change in itinerary.” We would now be stopping at ports of call totally different from the ones on the original cruise lineup. This might not have bothered us so much if it hadn’t been for the fact that these new ports of call were exactly the same ones we had stopped at on a previous cruise. (Like I said, we aren’t rich, so these cruise vacations are exceptional experiences for us — no time in life to duplicate efforts).

The cruise line was very accommodating in their notification, saying that if we were not happy with this change of itinerary we could cancel and receive a “full” refund of monies already paid.

Ahh, the trickery involved in fancy wording.

Turns out, we will not be receiving a “full” refund — we will only receive a refund for the monies paid on the final payment. The cruise credit from our previous efforts will remain as a cruise credit on the books yet again. We are somewhat locked into the concept of planning yet another cruise for 2022 — in the hopes that the world finally does return to normal and we will set sail, at long last, on one of those vacation of a lifetime experiences.

My husband is a little less than thrilled with this outcome. Oh, not because he doesn’t want to take another cruise. Oh no, he is chomping at the bit to get back on the high seas once again. No, he doesn’t like the fact that an outside force is controlling some portion of our money.

I, on the other hand, choose to take a positive view of things. We already have our down payment set aside. Something we want to do desperately is something we can plan at our convenience and not have to worry about coming up with the down payment money just yet.

This is how I choose to live my life. I could be happy or I could be sad about the outcome of our cruise situation.

Either way, my attitude does not change the outcome.

But my attitude (my choice to be happy) does change how I look at the world and how excited I am about future possibilities.

I realize I don’t have control over everything that goes on around me. Actually, I have very little control over what goes on around me.

I can’t control those outside factors in life. I can control how I choose to look at them.

Instead of grumbling about what went wrong (again!) I can put a smile on my face and start anticipating the planning stages for yet another great adventure.