I’M A LUCKY GUY!
As I write this, I am about to celebrate my 68th birthday. I am a certified senior citizen. And I am a very lucky guy. I say this because as I get ready to celebrate another year on this planet, I will do so with my family; my wife, my children, my grandchildren; but most especially, my mom.
My mom recently turned 93 years young, and while, I must admit she’s not moving as fast as she once did, her mind, reasoning, long term and short-term memory is 100%. She remembers facts and figures (she balances her check book to the penny every week), that I could never do. Heck, I don’t even remember what I had for lunch come dinner time.
I suppose birthdays cause a time to pause and reflect. In doing so I think of all the wonderful travels I’ve enjoyed just with my mom. I started the tradition of traveling with my parents when I took my father on a four night trip to Iceland in 1992. We had a blast, glaciers, hot springs, the history of democracy. Iceland was wonderful.
So when my Dad passed away in 1994 at a young age, I decided to continue the tradition with my mom. Over the past 27 years, I’ve traveled with my mom to Iceland (again), Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany in Europe. We escorted a group to Israel in 2000. In fact, she has helped me escort VEGAS VOYAGER groups to Hawaii, Mexico and along the Coast of California. There have been others, but these trips really stand out.
I have written in the past in this space of the true wonder and enjoyment of generational travel. However, I always did so from the point of me, Grandpa, taking the grandkids and watching them see the world from the perspective. There will be more of that I do hope.
But seeing the world through my first generation American mom’s eyes has also been inspiring. Whether it was visiting the religious sites in Israel, or Pearl Harbor, or walking the steps where her husband, my dad served in Europe in World War II, our time together experiencing these events is truly extraordinary. I cannot express in words how precious this time together has been. They really are memories for a lifetime.
As always Happy Adventures.
