Short Words, Big Love

Pinning Home

Because I still miss my home...

I need a vacation. Those are the words that come out of the doctor's mouth. I look at him with disbelief. There must be more happening with me than just the need of chill time. I have been feeling so tired. I can't concentrate. I have no desire to do the things that brought me pleasure in the past.

"But what about my blood tests? There must be something there for sure," I say, still incredulous about his diagnosis.

"Miss Sparks, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your blood. You are physically healthy. You have a demanding job where you work long hours. You barely take free time and even when you are free, you are working. You said so yourself. You just need some down time. Go to the beach, have a cocktail and enjoy the sunset without a phone or a computer. It will work wonders for you,"

I go home and look around, not even sure about where to begin. It has been so long since I have had nothing to do. I turn on my computer and open my browser where I type 'beach vacation ideas'.

The first search result brings me to a website called Pinterest. There are lots of photos of the most beautiful places that I have seen in my life. This makes me decide for a small island in the Caribbean, so I open another tab in my browser and book a flight and stay in paradise.

I go back to Pinterest and find myself scrolling and looking, and feeling hopeful, and imagining how it will feel to live in that bliss for two weeks. I decide to open an account and create what they call a board and start filling it with pins, that is how they call the photos. I start searching online for every photo that interests me regarding the island and add them to the virtual board. A red notification pops up in the corner.

'afeliciano pinned your Pin'

'afeliciano likes your Pin'

'afeliciano started following your board, Vacation'

I have about fifty photos or so on that board and this afeliciano has liked and pinned each of them. Copy cat! Why don't you get your own photos?

I keep browsing even more photos and I find one of a frothy cocktail with a pineapple wedge and a cherry. I already imagine myself sitting on the white sand looking at the light aqua blue water while sipping on that. I pin it, and write a caption under it: looking forward to drink one of these in a week.

Another notification pops up. A comment this time, from who else but afeliciano. It reads:

afeliciano 1 minute ago

'Piña colada, great choice. I know the perfect place for that. It is called Barrachina. It is the place where it got invented after all.'

I open another browser tab and search for that place and it looks great with its butter yellow walls and ceiling with dark wooden beams. One week of waiting sounds too long already. I pin the picture to my board, tag afeliciano and write in the caption: Great tip, thanks!

I'm getting curious about this person. In the icon, there is a beautiful photo of a palm tree. Is it a man or a woman? Young or old? And, has this person been to the place I will call home for two weeks? I click on the user name and it brings me to the profile. There is only one board with hundreds of pins, not only mine, and is called Home.

I find myself admiring the collection of photos. Whoever this person is, he or she has a deep admiration and respect for the island. I decide to send a direct message.

'Hello there! Thanks again for the tip about Barrachinar. If you have any other tips, they are more than welcome.'

I send the message and check my e-mail. I have received the e-ticket for my flight. Maybe I should check for some beachwear as well. I think my current swimsuit was purchased when I finished college. I'm not even sure if I fit it anymore. I have what I call "adulthood pounds", so maybe I even have to look for a new style. A new notification appears in the corner and I can't help it but to smile.