When I grow up....

As children playing on the swing sets , how often did we say to our friends, "When I grow up I'm going to..." And the list of things that we said we would accomplish seemed endless. One minute you wanted to be a doctor helping to save the world, the next minute, you wanted to be someone famous so you can dress up in pretty outfits and have fans adoring you. I know I used to spend my summers lying in the grass staring up at the clouds just fantasizing about how my life will be when I grow up....

At 27, I would say that I am pretty grown up by now. I didn't become a doctor saving a ton of lives or a famous singer landing on the top 40 list but I have had experiences where the memories of them will forever be etched in my mind. I've traveled to places where even postcards couldn't do it any justice. The exotic places I have gotten to see are so staggeringly beautiful that it literally took my breath away. Hawaii has this peaceful tranquility about it, that you instantly feel uplifted right when you drive away from the airport. The green mountaintops hidden behind misty white clouds make you feel transported to another dimension. It looks like how I imagine heaven would be. But nothing compared to the Canadian Rockies. Everyone who knows me would assume Hawaii would be my favorite place but in actuality...the breathtaking beauty of the Canadian Rockies made the most impression on me. The natural raw landscape that belongs to our northern neighbor looks like it came out of a fairy tale. Being there felt so far away from home, it really helped me get reacquainted with who I am. You are nestled deep in the valley surrounded by mountains and rivers. It was the safest place that I have ever felt.

So traveling to different places within the span of two years definitely satisfied the wanderlust that I had. I remember being in high school and saying, "I want to travel when I'm done with school." There are still places I would like to see, Venice, Paris, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Bali.....but for the most part I am deeply thankful that I got to see amazing landscapes that some people will go their whole lives never seeing. So maybe life didn't turn out the way that I imagined they would when I was a little girl, but I would say that it's been an amazing journey so far. I have loved with a passion and had my heart broken into a million pieces. I have laughed a thousand times and stayed up all night consoling a friend.

And now onto a new journey.....I can't even imagine how much my life is going to dramatically change after my little one's arrival. Already he has inspired me in so many ways. He has been the push to get me to do something I have always loved...writing. I am on the brink of the unknown. I am excited and nervous all at once to turn onto life's next corner......