TRAVELING ALONE


A few days ago I returned from the trip of a lifetime to the British Isles and Ireland. It was magical and wonderful and although I was on a tour bus with 23 other people and a dear friend traveled with me, I was really traveling alone. It is hard for those who have never been married and those who still are – even if they are by themselves on the trip – to really get “traveling alone.”



There were 2 widows on the trip – me and one other woman. The other widow did not seem to have anything good to say about her husband.  In the beginning of the trip it seemed she did not really like him very much. By the time the trip was winding down she had mellowed a bit and shared a few stories with us about good times with him but I was really left with the sense that she was happy to by herself.



The places we went and the things we saw were different than any I ever experienced with Ned. He and I took one amazing trip to Italy and Switzerland but that was it. He never made it to Ireland or Alaska before his time was up.  



I learned some things about me on this trip. It was a great joy to walk alone among the gardens or the castle ruins. It was fun to take time to sit by myself in a seaside café and enjoy a latte and cookie while getting acquainted with the local restaurant manager. It was moving and nostalgic to sit on the wall facing the Atlanta Ocean watching the waves come in and missing my Ned. And, it was great to laugh with others, meet new people, and share stories of families, fun, kids, and past adventures.



I also learned that I have become a really good listener. Most people who know me would tell you that I am always talking and that the center of attention is where I like to be – and they would be right about that. However, over the last few years I have discovered listening as a profound gift to others and a unique and wonderful contribution to my life. On this trip it was much more important to me to hear than to be heard and as a result, I came home with some magical experiences.



More than once I was welcomed home in Ireland just because I was listening and was asked if I had Irish ancestors. When I shared that my great grandfather immigrated during the Potato Famine and that my new 23 and Me test showed that I am 57.1% Irish, the response was “Welcome home!” It still moves me to tears to think about the connections I made in simple conversations sharing a table in a coffee shop or sitting next to someone on the bus or train or just talking with someone standing beside you sharing a breathtaking view of the Cliffs of Moher.



I missed Ned on the trip but it was not a problem to be traveling alone. I loved the experience of discovering a new world and being in that world on my own. Travel alone. It is a new adventure you deserve. I am already planning my next journey. Alaska here I come…….

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