Disneyland: Another thing off the bucket list

Last Wednesday, my best friend, Brad, and I went to the happiest place on earth that is known as Disneyland. It was my first time there. He also introduced me to his sweet parents and their cat, as well as his nieces. (I’ve already met his older twin sisters before.) I’ve been waiting for this for so long, and we finally made it happen.

My BBF Brad

It wasn’t just about going to Disneyland; it was about meeting his family as well. I playfully ribbed Brad about bringing on the adoption paperwork.

Brad is like a brother to me. Our friendship confuses people, since we used to date. While it didn’t work out, what we had turned into something better. Now we are practically siblings.

Even introverts want to belong

The desire to belong is a universal human need. When I grew up in a traumatic environment, I had to learn to be independent as a survival mechanism. There was a sense that I didn’t need to belong to anyone in order to survive, which stemmed from some mistrust of others. Keeping others at an arm’s length felt like a safer option, at least on the surface. On the other side of the coin, there was a growing sense of emptiness from the same belief of not belonging to others. I don’t have much of a base family, which left me feeling untethered and disconnected in the past. But after meeting his family, I felt grounded in a way that has never existed before.

Laugh until you can’t breathe

We went on most of the rides, and it has been so long since I laughed so hard, the kind of laughing that moves you to your core until you can’t breathe. It’s like my inner child got to come out. As adults, we often forget to tend to that part of ourselves.

I even tried Dole Whip for the first time! It’s a favorite among vegans in Disneyland, and lately it has had a cult-like following. It was so good, that we had it twice.

There were times where the crowds made me hide in my own head like a turtle. Brad noticed and had a way of getting me back to earth. Being around crowds can be tough, and I’m still slowly working on that.

We can choose our family, too

While this was a two-day whirlwind trip, it has still impacted me in such a positive way. I’ve met Brad’s family, and it was such a lifting experience. I feel more grounded and connected with a sense of community. What was missing before was found in California, and now I get to keep it with me.