Why Do You Travel?

I started my solo traveling adventures as a way to be found...

Traveling helps me clear my mind, organize my thoughts, get back to center, and to get a fresh perspective on life. 

Everyday, especially today, I am all about life.  

Today is the 8th anniversary of my mom's death and while it is not a "milestone" like the 10th or 15th and so on; it is a milestone for me.  It is the first time I have not anticipated and counted down the days to prepare myself.  

GO ME - I am making progress!!!

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What happens when tragedy strikes?  Immediately, the natural order of grieving begins and you have no choice but to follow it and some likely have no idea that they are.  We have no idea how long it will take and what it will do to us but one thing is for certain - never stop listening to your heart and soul.  

This is what happened to me: a transformation took place while traveling and turned something so painful into something so incredibly beautiful.  

Traveling saved my life.

Tragedy > Reevaluating Life > Traveling =  Transforming Into A Butterfly

My Transformation Stages: 

*Learning about life under the watch of my mom.

*Losing her and cocooning myself the best way I knew how to try and protect what was left of me.

*In the process, creating new life.

*Learning to spread my wings.

*Me today - spreading my beautiful wings and flying around the world!

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Today I was talking to my mother-in-law, Diane, about the dream phases I have gone through with my mom after she died and how there is a direct correlation between the milestones I make in reality in coping with her death, to how close I can get to her in my dreams.  She asked me how long it had been since she died and for the first time I had to think about it...like really think about it - it didn't just pop off my tongue.  Then out of nowhere I realized that TODAY is the anniversary of her death and I hadn't even seen it coming.  I have been dreaming about her more lately but not once did I realize how close today was.  

Now, some people may mistake this as me "forgetting" about her but it is the exact opposite.  It is the grip of her death on me finally releasing a little bit.

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Her death sent me on an unruly, totally unlike me, long, adventure to Alaska and the west coast.  

I have written about my Alaskan experience so please check it out in the archives - it was amazing!  

What I did not state in that post was that I chose Alaska because it was my mom's dream.  And it was her dream that began my transformation into what I am today.  

Traveling is such a therapeutic way of dealing with loss, stress, happiness, or any emotion or life event you may be going through.  Writing and traveling for United Military Travel, I imagine my primary blog followers are people in the service.  Which leads me to believe that you all know something about loss.  

Take my word for it - TRAVEL MORE it could save your life too!! 

I have spilled my guts, now spill yours in the comment section. 

 I want to get to know all of you!

What does traveling mean to you?

Why do you travel?

Is it more than just a vacation?

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