My daughter is adventurous. When she was in college (and a few years afterward), she would keep a bathing suit in her oversized purse. “I’m always ready for an adventure,” she would say. The girl has GUMPTION. At that time, I still had several children in elementary school; adventure was FAR from my grasp. But things change, whether we want them to or not. And in the last few years, I realized that life comes fast.
So last week, when I noticed my passport was about to expire, I made an appointment to update it. I never want to miss an opportunity to travel. I love to reason with myself that I’m in my peak traveling years. I’m physically able, my children are old enough to care for themselves, and I have enough knowledge of the world not to do anything too crazy. Keyword—TOO. But the bottom line is I love to travel.
While waiting in line at the passport office, I began to scan the stamps in my passport, looking at the dates and letting memories of the trips flood my mind. But when I got to the front of the line and it was time to turn in my passport book, I froze. “What if someone asks me to travel with them? I won’t have my passport,” I explained.
“It will only take 8 weeks, ma’am; I’m sure you’ll be fine. Who even travels in January or February? That’s no fun,” she remarked while prying the passport book out of my hands. She obviously hasn’t seen the pictures from my trip to Ireland in February 2020 to measure fun. So, I’m patiently crossing days off the calendar and watching the mailbox until my trusty little blue book is back in my care.
I believe Saint Thomas Aquinas said it best, "Our soul is wandering until it lays with you, Lord." And I encourage you to wander all you can. Be brave and step out of your comfort zone. Experience new things and explore new places. Let's all begin by carrying a bathing suit in our oversized purses. You never know when life might bring an adventure.