Love on the Celiac River Cruise 2021

I came into this experience genuinely so afraid. Afraid of how it would go with my sister, afraid of how I would handle it, afraid if I would get along with others on the cruise, would the food be okay, would it live up to my expectations..... My fears were endless. But I left the vacation with so much love in my heart. The river cruise was small enough that we all got to know each other and we built a real community on that boat.

It felt like I got to see what my life would've been like if I had never been diagnosed with celiac. I was rarely in my room unless it was to shower or sleep. I was chatting with everyone all the time and loving every bit of it. Whenever I was alone I was always looking for where my friends were. We even had ship parents who I miss dearly.

I was walking around with ship dad on one of the tour stops. Eventually we got into an actual real conversation. I confided in him how I never felt as beautiful as my sister. She has a light that radiates from her and everyone looks at her when she walks into a room. I felt that when I was in a room nobody would even know I was there. He said, "For as much as her beauty radiates outward, is how deep your beauty is inward." It stuck with me. Every time I get down on myself I remember him telling me that and it sticks. Funny, isn't it? How a family member or friend can tell you the same thing over and over again but when a stranger says it, it finally sticks?

I am also so glad I got to spend this time with my sister. Her and I don't really get to talk much or see each other at all. We're very different people. But I look back on this cruise and am so thankful for the quality time we got to have with one another. I hope she feels the same way.

Again, I highly recommend that people check out celiaccruise.com so they can see if they're interested in having an experience where they get to feel safe on a vacation.