You need to understand
I'm doing a new post for this. You need to understand that I am an average person. I'm not that old, I'm not that young. I'm in the middle. 46 years old. I'm not that fat, I'm not that skinny. I'm not that rich, I'm not that poor. I'm not that smart, I'm not that stupid. I'm a bit of many things too. I haven't travelled much as I grew up. 2 weeks in Montreal as a school exchange program when I was 14. A summer in Denmark when I was 14. A few road trips to the west coast of the States with family, not really that far.
Then I did the big brave thing of moving to Las Vegas, Nevada when I was 19. Not to be a show girl, but to start a family. I'm average, but I feel like the irony in my life may be above average. I lived there for about 20 years.
I traveled to Costa Rica once when I was 34, for 3 weeks. I moved around the United States for 3 years, I guess that counts.
If you ask me how I am able to walk away from my lovely neighborhood in Cedar City Utah, and travel (so far) in Central America and Europe - how do I answer that? My mind always pictures a sign I had in my living room. It was a simple sign. It said: "Living the Dream". I think deciding to believe was what did it. Deciding we could travel. Deciding that answers would come with what to do with all of our Stuff. Deciding that travel would be good for us. Deciding that we could love all friends and family, even while at a different latitude. Love has no destination. It has no coordinates. It requires no special suitcase.
I could stay put, drive my car to work every day, and visit my adult kids who are living their own lives. Or I could live my dream of visiting family I don't get to see every day. Experience things I've never seen before. I had seen my Mom once since 2004. I had seen my Dad twice since my trip to Denmark in 1984. I last saw him when my son Reece was a few months old, so I can easily remember how long it's been. Reece had his 18th birthday in August.
Maybe I will go back, and live in the same apartment. I doubt it, but maybe. I have learned to not waste time guessing the future. If we did though, I would get a job that involved travel. Even if it's just being a travel agent. Maybe get a place where we can host international students. I am certain I would not be the same person. Travel changes you. It's supposed to. What do we have dreams for anyway?? To challenge you, to inspire you, to add meaning to life.
I am writing stories. Memoirs of family members. I start each one: "Do you know Aleksander Walter Szpradowski? Well I do." And I tell as much as my Grandfather's story as I can. "Do you know Kataryna Gaslowicz? Let's see what her life can tell us." And I will write about how my Great Grandmother came from the Kingdom of Galacia (now Poland) across the waters to the United States, and then across the U.S. to Canada, and then westward across Canada. Maybe I can't add all of the details and colors, but I can paint a picture of the people who raised my Grandmother. Who raised 4 children, including my Mom. Who raised 2 kids, including me. Who raised 4 kids. Who are on the brink of starting the next generation.
What is your dream? Are you living it? What is between you and your dream life? How close to it can you get? Do you want to travel? Have you surrounded yourself with maps? 4 years before we left for Costa Rica my husband and I wallpapered our bedroom with maps. We went to the Freecycle website and picked up a few dozen free maps. We were starting the law of attraction. Watch The Secret. Or read it in book form.
This is a big and amazing world. It's ready to give, if you are ready to receive. Don't limit yourself by wondering how on earth it could happen. Just imagine what it would be like. Imagine there is a way and you just have to find it. Maybe it just has to find you. Are you ready? When you're ready, that's when the magic happens.
Then I did the big brave thing of moving to Las Vegas, Nevada when I was 19. Not to be a show girl, but to start a family. I'm average, but I feel like the irony in my life may be above average. I lived there for about 20 years.
I traveled to Costa Rica once when I was 34, for 3 weeks. I moved around the United States for 3 years, I guess that counts.
If you ask me how I am able to walk away from my lovely neighborhood in Cedar City Utah, and travel (so far) in Central America and Europe - how do I answer that? My mind always pictures a sign I had in my living room. It was a simple sign. It said: "Living the Dream". I think deciding to believe was what did it. Deciding we could travel. Deciding that answers would come with what to do with all of our Stuff. Deciding that travel would be good for us. Deciding that we could love all friends and family, even while at a different latitude. Love has no destination. It has no coordinates. It requires no special suitcase.
I could stay put, drive my car to work every day, and visit my adult kids who are living their own lives. Or I could live my dream of visiting family I don't get to see every day. Experience things I've never seen before. I had seen my Mom once since 2004. I had seen my Dad twice since my trip to Denmark in 1984. I last saw him when my son Reece was a few months old, so I can easily remember how long it's been. Reece had his 18th birthday in August.
Maybe I will go back, and live in the same apartment. I doubt it, but maybe. I have learned to not waste time guessing the future. If we did though, I would get a job that involved travel. Even if it's just being a travel agent. Maybe get a place where we can host international students. I am certain I would not be the same person. Travel changes you. It's supposed to. What do we have dreams for anyway?? To challenge you, to inspire you, to add meaning to life.
I am writing stories. Memoirs of family members. I start each one: "Do you know Aleksander Walter Szpradowski? Well I do." And I tell as much as my Grandfather's story as I can. "Do you know Kataryna Gaslowicz? Let's see what her life can tell us." And I will write about how my Great Grandmother came from the Kingdom of Galacia (now Poland) across the waters to the United States, and then across the U.S. to Canada, and then westward across Canada. Maybe I can't add all of the details and colors, but I can paint a picture of the people who raised my Grandmother. Who raised 4 children, including my Mom. Who raised 2 kids, including me. Who raised 4 kids. Who are on the brink of starting the next generation.
What is your dream? Are you living it? What is between you and your dream life? How close to it can you get? Do you want to travel? Have you surrounded yourself with maps? 4 years before we left for Costa Rica my husband and I wallpapered our bedroom with maps. We went to the Freecycle website and picked up a few dozen free maps. We were starting the law of attraction. Watch The Secret. Or read it in book form.
This is a big and amazing world. It's ready to give, if you are ready to receive. Don't limit yourself by wondering how on earth it could happen. Just imagine what it would be like. Imagine there is a way and you just have to find it. Maybe it just has to find you. Are you ready? When you're ready, that's when the magic happens.
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