Loss and Lightening Up
August 28, 2024
“Affording travel is a matter of priorities. (Make do with the old sofa.)”
Rick Steves
We just returned from a magical trip to Scotland. It was on the bucket list and
quite honestly it exceeded expectations. The calm lake (loch) waters, the sunset
over the mountain range and newly risen full moon blazing over my other
shoulder, the majestic towering stone tribute to an Edinburgh author, the castles,
the history, the food and drink, and the stories, oh the stories. The Scottish people
love to tell stories, and they do it with passion and poetry. I slept deeply at night
and soaked it all up during the day. It was invigorating and calming, and it widened
my world view. As travel often does. I return home with appreciation for all that
surrounds me and all that we share with others across the ocean.
Rick Steves quote hits home on so many levels. What is important to us and how
do we live that life? We met lovely people along the way, and they shared our
wanderlust and joy in travel. This is not everyone’s jam. But if it is, why not make it
happen?
We met an 81-year-old woman who is still working as a pediatric physical therapist
so that she can take two to three travel adventures a year. She shared the
experience of a lion stretched out next to her jeep with his head resting on the
tire during her trip to Africa. She described the wonder of India’s bright colors and
sounds with large animals and people walking side by side down roads. She
recalled snorkeling in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef with enormous brightly
colored fish within arm’s reach and turtles swimming within view. She had taken
twenty-five tours over the last several years and said she needed to maximize her
time as she felt her mobility would one day fail her and she still had places to see.
Her daughter joined her every other year and together they explored the world.
During the moving process, we see evidence that many of our Customers have
spent much of their life traveling. They have beautiful art, furniture or photos
collected during their career moves or globetrotting for pleasure. They suggest
that travel is not to be waited on. “Do it while you can.” We hear this mantra
often and so we heed the advice and travel while we can.
My very competent team served our Customers with kindness and efficiency in
my stead so I could fully enjoy the respite, and I am so grateful to them for the
opportunity. What’s next? That we haven’t settled on. The world is our oyster.