A friend once told me, there are three things you need to travel. You will never have all three at once, so if you have two of the three do it. These are money, time, and health. I never forgot this, and seem to live each year by this.
Years ago, when I first met my ex-husband, we would take weekend trips with our English bulldog Puzo from New York to Connecticut to spend time with his parents. They were Sicilian on both sides, and although they didn’t speak the language, everything was 100% Italian. This was in how they interacted with each other, the delicious meals they prepared, wine they drank, desserts we lingered on, cooking shows we watched, and their love for all things Italian.
What I found interesting is only Anthony’s father had been to Italy. His mother, Frankie, had a wish to travel to Italy when she retired. She dreamed when this day would occur, the landmarks she would visit, the ancestral land she would walk on, and all the cuisine she would memorize to share in her stories with others. There were elusive plans made, but nothing concrete. Frankie never got the opportunity. Cancer returned for the second time before retirement, spread quickly, and she died in her sixties.
I think of that often, and tell others as a warning. We dont know how much time we will have left on this earth, if you want to go somewhere, do it. Nothing is guaranteed.
I am in Italy as I write this. This 2 ½ week trip has included visits to Lampedusa, Naples, Pompeii, Positano, Amalfi Coast, Campania region, Bologna, and San Marino (another country existing in Italy). I have lost track over the years how many times I have come to Italy, but I believe it’s my 14th or 15th trip. Even though I have been here for numerous trips, I never forget how lucky I am to be here. I am not even Italian, and I have been able to travel to this land so frequently with ease.
People wait their whole lives to do one trip, as I am doing right now. Some never make it, like Frankie. I’m aware of this, and I do want to honor her as I take this trip. Her birthday would have been today, a fiery Leo. I shared with Anthony how I thought of his mom recently on this trip when in Lampedusa, as I saw various Sicilian images. I knew she would have been enamored by all the ceramic colorful pieces, and he said maybe she is here with me. I would hope so. I would like to think wherever she is on the other side, she’s been able to transport herself to Italy. Prior to Anthony and I separating, we made a handful of trips to Italy, including Sicily. These were journeys he had to do, as he didn’t want to waste anymore time. I am sure she was there in spirit as well.
I travel for myself, but I also travel to inspire others. I want to share that we can explore exotic lands, where we don’t speak the language. It may not always be easy, but it will be filled with wonder. There is nothing to be afraid of and this is not something you should put off until retirement. Make it work, whether your dream is Italy, Egypt, Hawaii, South America, or Asia. The adventurer in me is trying to pull out the adventurer in you. You may not aspire to join the Travel Century Club, as I am, but allow yourself to dream of that one place to you have always longed to go to. Make concrete plans for this to occur. Travel is an investment that will last a lifetime. You don’t want to be on your deathbed, wishing you would have taken that one trip. Do it now. Remember the three things you need to travel: money, time, and health. If you have two of them, book that trip. You won’t regret it.
It Only Takes A Smile 