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I wrote this from the plane last week as I was leaving Australia.
I have a lot to post about the last half of my trip, but as I sit in this plane and write this the only thing that seems relevant is the friends I have left.
How often do I talk of ships that pass on here? I realize fleeting friendships are inevitable, and especially for those who travel. I’ve always felt that travel is amazing for the scenery, the food, the architecture, and the history, but it’s the people that color in the lines of my travel experiences. I embrace them, even with the bittersweet feeling that often goes with these transient acquaintances. I cherish them and I know they are all gifts that enrich my life. Yet….sometimes I wish the world was a little smaller, because certain friends hurt just a little more to leave.
This particular trip has been extremely hard to leave behind emotionally. In a way that caught me by surprise. I’ve done this before. I’ve left. I said goodbye time and again, but this one was different. And as I sit here in my cramped seat drinking my third glass of wine, I even find myself crying because of it. No, it’s not the wine!
It’s inevitable if you open your heart to the generosity that exists in most humans around the world that you will make connections. Some are smaller passings, some long term friends. I have mentioned Anna and Neil, my hosts on this trip, several times in previous posts. I met them for a total of about 5 hours on my first trip to France. We always laugh that such a very brief meeting led to what will be a lifelong friendship. This wonderful, loving couple fill a void I have had my entire life. My… entire… life…. And all it took was a chance meeting of several hours to fill it. Coming from an unhappy and abusive childhood I had to travel 10,000 miles to finally feel a connection that felt like I had a home.
On this trip, I made friends at a little pub in the Blue Mountains while I mourned the election results, and their company made an otherwise stressful evening one of my most fun and memorable parts of the trip. With a motley crew of Aussies, Canadians, and Americans we bolstered each other’s spirits. That unexpected nature of travel in action!
I will always be grateful for all the people I have met over the years that have shared their heart in some way and made me fell more connected to this enormous crazy planet we all share space on. So as my Australian friends say “See you when I see you” because goodbye is a dirty dirty word. And until next time…
Happy travels and kisses from me.