Travel. What does travel mean to me? Travel is a part of me. It is a constant adventure that has helped shape me into the person I am today. I carry each place, each experience, each moment, with me wherever I go. Sitting still has never been an option for me, partly because my parents shared this love of travel. They encouraged me to experience as much as I could. I am incredibly thankful for that.
I can think of a specific moment in my life when I felt truly at peace. And it may have been the moment when I realized I never wanted to stop. It was the first time I saw the Grand Canyon. I had never seen anything so beautiful, so mesmerizing, so completely perfect. As I stood looking out at the vast expanse, I thought to myself, this is it. This is what I am here for. To experience. To feel. I remember I could not stop taking pictures. I wanted to soak it all in, to capture every moment, every feeling. It was almost overwhelming. But pictures usually do not do it justice. They capture the moment and freeze it in time, but the memories I hold are what truly make the moment live on. For me, wanderlust is a way of life. It allows us to constantly be in motion, to constantly dream.
I have never been much for flying. Heights terrify me. But as I fly high above the clouds and look out the airplane window, I cannot help but smile because I know what is next. Something new. I have no worries and I can let go of all the stress. Nothing can stop me now. I don’t have to worry about relationships, work, bills. I can drop everything that worries me and let go, if only for a little while.
As some may know, I grew up in the northwest corner of Connecticut, the countryside. I have lived in New York, Connecticut, Vermont, South Carolina, Texas, and most recently, Boston. My family recently moved to Texas and I remain here, in Boston.
The most wonderful thing about travel is the ability to relive it. A type of food, a glass of wine, a song, a name, can all trigger a memory. A glimpse into the past. As I sit here drinking a glass of Tempranillo from Becker Vineyards, it throws me back to my first visit to Texas, where I first had this wine. I had always wanted to visit Texas. Maybe I could call it a childhood obsession, or a curiosity. It was so much different than anything I had experienced before. It was unique. And that is true of any place. I cannot even see a picture of a kangaroo without thinking about actually touching one, playing with one, in the middle of the outback in Australia. Conch and Bob Marley constantly remind me of Turks and Caicos and the many trips my family and I took there.
Not only has travel given me the beautiful ability to have these memories, but it has brought my closer to the people I love the most. When I think of travel, I think of my grandpa, my poppy. He always believed in family trips. In having those experiences together, making those memories together. He believed in travel. Those moments I will cherish forever. I will cherish all of these moments. I cannot help but be thankful for all of those who experience this journey with me. I remember when I was younger, my mom used to tell me stories of my other grandpa, grandpa Doug. He used to scuba dive, more like deep sea scuba dive. He would buddy breathe far beneath anything that would make most comfortable. But maybe that is what travel is all about. Diving far beyond your comfort zone.
2042. Two thousand and forty two. This may be just a number, but to me, it is the distance away from my heart. 2,042 miles. But this doesn’t scare me because I know that out there, you three are doing the same. You are living. With happiness and passion. You are constantly experiencing and growing, just like I am. We are in it together, even if far apart.
Wanderlust.
“There is something about the momentum of travel that makes you want to just keep moving, to never stop.” – Bill Bryson
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