Many years ago I worked in a drab office full of cubicles where there were no secrets. One morning my colleague poked her head over the divider to tell me that she was having a visitor later that day — her best friend from college who, she confided, had inoperable brain cancer.
This friend was traveling around the country with her boyfriend to spend time with loved ones while she still could. She was all of 24 or 25. When I caught a glimpse of her that day, I couldn’t believe how happy she seemed.
I’ve thought about that young woman many times during my year to live project. While I, admittedly, knew precious little about her state-of-mind, her trip struck me as a beautiful, courageous way to approach her remaining time. An act of graceful acceptance, fully honoring the primacy of her web of interconnectedness.
In that spirit, I’ve vowed to venture out this year to be with people I care about. By dint of the career I chose (loosely defined as international social justice) and the time I’ve spent on the road, many of my close friends are far away. I wish that time and frequent flyer credits would allow me to visit every single one of them this year, but I’ve decided that small steps towards that vision are better than merely paying it lip-service.
This weekend you’ll find me at the annual sheep shearing party on the farm next to my brother’s in New Jersey, surrounded by three generations of family. Then I’ll fly to London to see a friend who I’ve been promising to visit for the past 8 years, which happily coincides with the travels of two other friends — one from Spain and one from Angola — who will also be there. Then, volcano gods willing, I’ll make my way to Ohio to be with my freshman roommates. There’s a lot of catching up to be done.
I know. It’s an odd assortment of places to be in one week’s time. And it’s a totally privileged thing to be able to do (I carry around a healthy dose of guilt about these things). But the window of opportunity can slam shut quickly, and life is too short to make excuses.
I’ve always loved this Irish blessing, and it’s my hope for you no matter how near or far you roam this summer:
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Happy travels! Be safe, and take risk 🙂
“Take risk” – that’s the best advice I’ve heard all day, Sven! And I see that a little diversion by the volcano gods ended up being a happy thing on your latest trip. Good for you guys!
Yes, good ole Eyjafjallajökul provided some great unforeseen adventures for us 😉