Two Years Inward

Tell me a story about a traveler who cannot travel. I’ve heard so many sad sentiments about the inability to travel and I share those woes with my fellow travelers. Granted, I have to acknowledge the pandemic, the severity of this era, and its very real effects on citizens of the world, aside from our inability to travel. Working in healthcare, it’s been very real and hits too close to home. I mourn too for the lost lives and to do my part, I’ve grounded myself for over a year and a half.

Travel for me in that time has been within the confines of New York City and just north to Poughkeepsie with precautions, of course. Being fully vaccinated, we ventured towards Florida to see family. I miss the smell of the air in different cities and the way the sun feels. This year was a lot of reminiscing on past travels, watching HGTV House Hunters international, reading, writing, pondering, and also being grateful for what I do have.

For me, travel has always been such an escape and a treat. I feel sad, I travel. I get bored, I travel. I feel heartbroken, I travel. I want to explore, I travel. It grounds me. I feel centered after a good trip. The world feels simultaneously larger and smaller and people feel kinder. That’s the wonder and beauty of travel. It creates a sense of connectedness.

Before I was able to travel, I still yearned for adventures. That connectedness came through words and books. I’ve spent more times in bookstores than ever. We’ve found little gems of places to eat — sometimes outside in the freezing cold — and we’ve come to appreciate the beauty of New York.