Home sweet home

I just got back from a four day trip to New York with my sisters.  I've been looking forward to this trip since we planned it several months ago.  Most of us identify traveling as something we'd like to do at some point in our lives.  We envy others when they talk about the exotic and far away places they've visited.  We all have somewhere we long to go, to see, to experience.

Most of us also have some excuse why we can't.  Probably the most frequently cited reason for being unable to go where we long to go is lack of money.  I use this excuse myself all the time.  There is some truth in it -- I don't have money to throw around.  However, I could probably get a credit card with a $10,000 limit and six months without interest, splurge for a big trip, and try to pay it off over the next six months.  That would, however, require a lot of sacrifice on my part.  Instead of buying myself a new outfit on pay day or going out with my girlfriends for dinner I would have to pay off the credit card instead.  So not having the money isn't the real reason I don't travel very much; the real reason is that I'm not willing to sacrifice my everyday comforts.

Another common excuse - "I don't have the time."  Again, it's all about priorities.  Most of us can delegate our responsibilities long enough to take a vacation.  In fact, if we're honest, we've all probably covered for a colleague or fed a neighbor's cat while they were out of town. 

It's important to remember that we all have only one life to live.  We can choose to make excuses for why we don't spend it doing the things we'd really enjoy but at the end of the day that is all they are -- excuses.  Many of us talk about being able to do the things we dream of doing some time in the future.  The problem is that none of us know what our future holds.  We don't even know for certain that we will have a future.  We always, however, have the present moment. 

One other thing I've noticed, at least about myself, is that no matter how much I enjoy a good vacation I am ALWAYS and without fail ready to go home when the time comes - sometimes even before the time comes.  Why is it that I should spend months looking forward to a trip yet be so eager to return home in the end?  Just something to think about...