During my years on this earth, I’ve lived in more than 20 places. I’d give you the exact number but I lost count somewhere along the way, and I’m too lazy to get into that much detail anyway. But I can tell you that I’ve loved them all (well, all except one). I didn’t love any of them enough to stay of course, but enough to appreciate the imprint they left on me, and what I took away from each one.
And given that, I guess you can tell I’m kind of restless. I blame my upbringing- you get really used to uprooting every three years when you’re an Air Force brat, so if you stay somewhere any longer than that you get kinda itchy. It just feels constricting, like those jeans that you desperately want to still fit, but they just don’t, no matter how many hopeful deep knee squats and desperate lunges you do in them to try to stretch them out.
I’ve got two kids who are approaching those awkward awful middle and high school years. We’ve promised to stay put for a while so that they can have an uninterrupted school experience. So, instead of moving lately, we travel. Traveling is especially important to me now because we landed in a tiny little town on the coast of Massachusetts, which is almost ridiculously beautiful but not exactly diverse or rich with culture. I want my kids to understand that the world is multi-colored and multi-faceted and that beauty comes in all kinds of shapes, forms, smells, and textures. I want them to see the world through wide eyes, and I want them to be curious, confident, adventurous, compassionate, and kind.
We are forever seeking ways to embrace the unusual, to step outside our comfort zones, and to explore foreign ways of life. Because by doing so we think we can be better members of our own community and better members of society. Oh, and we can have lots of fun. Of course. If you disguise life lessons and character building as fun, your kids will never know that their entire lives have just been one long learning experience, they’ll grow up to be really amazing humans and they won’t even hate you for it.
What’s that quote? “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
One other thing to know about me is that I also love to read. I could never read just one page of a book, so this quote is kind of perfect. Read. Travel. Love. What else do you need?
~ happy traveling! Suzanne
Yes, and on this Mother’s Day, what a tribute to such an “example” person in the true sense of the word. Not knowing her as much nor as long as some of you, it seems that what I do know of her fulfills the definition of all said. Beautiful words spoken about a beautiful lady. What I saw of her was “all about her family” which she unselfishly and continually totally supported in spite of her adversities. In my life long field of medicine, I’ve witnessed the ravages of Parkinsonism over and over again. Our impotence to treating it simply adds to the pain. Her stoicism is a marvel to all those around her. Cece has taught people to persevere in silence regardless of their feelings and more should learn the lesson. God bless as you continue your journey. And God bless her wonderful family who are of relentless support.