Summer 2012 and the afterglow

This morning's light with a soft breeze billow the dining room curtains--love to see them flutter in the breeze. Open windows define summer for me. Granted, air conditioning has its place, but it's never truly summer unless the breeze shimmers through the rooms along with birds' calls and melodies.

People ask me what the highlights of the African trip were--and I have to pause before responding, since the entire 15 days was an adventure. Each day was like a gift box. We opened it and lifted out adventures of people, animals, sights, sounds, foods, smells, held them in our hands, examining and delighting in them. A true gift to be able to surround myself with such things.

So what does travel like this do to us? We grow in knowledge of other cultures and traditions to be sure, but it also keeps us from becoming so self-satisfied with our situtation, so centered on ourselves. Travel enriches us and continues to transform us as our life's path unfolds. We must remain curious, interested in the world beyond ourselves. Yet what surprises and delights us can't grow into something we expect and even feel we're entitled to. If it does, the magic is gone--it's vanished at the expense of expectation. If our perspective is that of gratitude, if we remain grateful, what a world to enjoy.

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