Living in the moment sometimes means putting down the camera, and that’s exactly what happened on my luxury Aruba vacation celebrating a milestone birthday.
When the Content Creator Forgets to Create Content
Here’s a confession from a veteran blogger: I went to Aruba to celebrate my 40th birthday, ready to slay every outfit I packed. But guess what? I barely have any photos. And here’s why I’m not mad about it.
As someone who’s built a brand around balancing beauty, luxury, and motherhood, you’d think I’d have a perfectly curated Instagram grid of my milestone Caribbean getaway. The reality? My camera roll is filled with stunning beach shots of my daughters splashing in crystal blue waters, videos of palm trees swaying in the breeze, and approximately three blurry selfies of me with a piña colada.
And you know what? That might be the best birthday gift I didn’t know I needed.
Expectation vs. Reality: What Really Happens on a Family Luxury Getaway
Before leaving our New York suburb for the warm embrace of Aruba, I had visions: me in that white linen dress against turquoise waters, candid laughs captured during sunset dinners, and those picture-perfect family beach moments that rack up the likes.
I packed strategically, with outfits coordinated for every excursion and dinner. I had also mentally mapped out where each photoshoot would happen.
Then reality checked in alongside us at our boutique beachfront resort.
Between tending to my youngest every two hours, making sure my 13-year-old wasn’t glued to her iPad the entire trip, and actually trying to relax (remember that concept?), something had to give. That something was my carefully planned content calendar.
As a Black woman who grew up in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, I’ve always valued authenticity over performance. Yet somehow, the pressure to document everything, to prove we’re living our best lives, crept into my vacation mindset.
The Lesson That Hit Different: Presence > Perfection
Standing on Eagle Beach, watching my daughters build a sandcastle while my husband dozed under an umbrella, I had this moment of clarity that hit differently at 40 than it would have at 30.
I could either:
1. Interrupt this perfect scene to set up the perfect shot
2. Simply be there, fully present, metabolizing the joy into a memory that no iPhone could capture anyway
As a veteran blogger, I always hear “get the content, get the content” until that phrase is basically background music to my life. Sometimes the moment passes before the photo is taken—especially when you’re both the memory maker and the memory keeper.
But what I remember most isn’t what would have made the best photo, it’s watching my youngest daughter experience things for the first time, the way my teenager actually put her iPad down to swim or play at the beach, and the unfiltered conversation with my husband over late-night dessert when both girls had gone to bed.
How I’m Moving Differently as a Mom and Content Creator
This Aruba trip marked a subtle but significant shift in how I approach travel as both a mom and a content creator:
I’m planning lighter. Yes, I still bring the cute outfits (because your girl isn’t about to show up not looking her best), but I’m not planning entire days around getting “the shot.” Some of my favorite luxury travel experiences have happened when I wasn’t trying to document them.
I’m embracing imperfection. Those blurry sunset photos taken by my youngest? They capture the energy of the moment better than any perfectly posed alternative.
I’m creating memories for my family first, content second. Because when my daughters look back on our travels, I want them to remember me being in the moment with them, not just directing them for photos.
I’m letting others take the wheel sometimes. Whether it’s asking my husband to snap some pictures or letting my 14-year-old (when she’s in the mood, and if you have a teenager, you know exactly what I mean) take control of documenting our day.
Real Talk for Other Millennial Moms
If you’re planning a special getaway, whether it’s a milestone birthday, anniversary, or just a much-needed escape, here’s my grown woman advice:
Don’t stress about the missed shot. That perfect beach sunset will happen again tomorrow. Your child’s unfiltered joy at discovering a seashell won’t.
Take mental snapshots. Some memories are just for you—not for the grid, not for the blog, just precious moments stored in your heart.
Consider hiring a photographer for one day. If you really want quality family photos, book a professional for a morning session, then enjoy the rest of your trip pressure-free. (I wish I had done this in Aruba, and I’ve already booked one for our next luxury getaway!)
Find balance in boutique experiences. Some of our best moments happened at smaller, less “Instagrammable” spots where we could truly connect with local culture. These under-the-radar culinary experiences often make for the most memorable travel stories.
As Black women who travel, we sometimes feel extra pressure to document everything perfectly, to show we belong in these luxury spaces. But trust me when I say: the most revolutionary act is simply enjoying them without feeling the need to prove anything.
The Souvenir That Matters Most
The irony isn’t lost on me that as a travel blogger, I’m writing about the importance of sometimes not documenting your travels. But that’s exactly the point.
The best souvenir from Aruba wasn’t a photo or a trinket; it was the reminder that presence trumps perfection every time and that sometimes the most luxurious thing you can do is put your phone away and fully inhabit the beautiful moment you’ve created.
And does that mean I have fewer photos to share but more joy to remember? I’ll take that trade any day.
Have you ever gone somewhere special and forgotten to take pics? Tell me below. I want to know I’m not alone!
Looking for the perfect resort for your own Aruba getaway? Check out Where to Stay in Aruba: Why Radisson Blu is Perfect for Family Luxury
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