"I'd rather look back at my life and say I can't believe I did that, instead of I wish I'd done that."
So what are YOU waiting for? Travel is the number one thing on a person's "to do" list when he/she retires. But it's so sad when people work their ass off, only to wait until retirement to travel and that day never comes.
A friend/former co-worker and her husband were going to travel all over the USA in their RV once they retired. They got close...but that day never came. Several years before retirement, he had open-heart surgery and got bad blood. They learned he had MDS, a pre-cursor to Leukemia (the same thing Robin Roberts has). Life was anything but normal and they lived day to day, never knowing what tomorrow would bring. He could go days without issues and then all of a sudden, his numbers would go down and a transfusion was needed. If they did travel, and that wasn't very often, they always made sure there was a large hospital nearby, just in case.
Within a year after he passed away (unexpectedly I might add), she decided to travel and fulfill the dream they couldn't bring to fruition together. Paradise in Hawaii was what she hoped to be the first of many trips. Sadly, it became evident on a trip to Germany, Austria and Prague that "many trips" was going to stop at 2, because she was diagnosed with early Alzheimer's. What I didn't know then that I know now is that travel for a person with memory issues is a horrible experience. It's all new and different and there is nothing "comfortable" about the situation. When you take a person with memory issues out of their comfort zone, they can't function like you or I can. The dream becomes a nightmare. People with memory issues need a constant routine, and travel, especially abroad, is anything but a normal routine. You are in a different place every day or so and you're living out of a suitcase. So what are you waiting for?
You can definitely afford to travel now, especially if you are working. If you start to save a little bit every week (see $$$$ post), you will have most of the trip paid for by the time we go.
We aren't getting older...we're getting better! On our last adventure, we did a LOT of walking. As you get older, the bones start to creak and you may find you aren't able to walk as far or walk as long as you once could - another reason to travel before you become bionic. We have our health so now is the time to travel...not in 10-20-30 years. Live in the moment and don't let life pass you by.
"I'd rather look back at my life and say I can't believe I did that, instead of I wish I'd done that."
No comments:
Post a Comment