Travel is still up in the air for most of us. I have two trips to France planned for the later part of the year…hopefully, those will happen. I have a trip planned soon for St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands), but that one is looking “iffy”. Two trips have already been canceled for this year so far and moved to next year…they should be fine. It should be fine to travel by then. Right?

So, in the meantime, I am traveling short distances for short amounts of time. Like this week. This week, I am at Edisto Beach, South Carolina, a short drive from home. I am with my college girlfriends and we are all celebrating our “Big Birthday Year” together…at the beach…with lots of cake…and bellinis…and masks. The good times are rolling!

Travel is supposed to be fun and rewarding. Both are true about this trip, but it has a deeper meaning, too. We have lost members of our class. We have learned to treasure our differences and enjoy our time together. Life is short…and at our ages, it is getting shorter.

So spending time together, without the headache of air travel, with the beach as our background, is a win-win for all of us. We have a house on the front beach – a bit of an expense, but well worth it. The sound of the surf lulls us to sleep at night and wakes us twinned with the bright sun in the morning. We step off the porch and into the sand, walking the beach just after sun-up. The light breeze chills us until the sun’s rays strengthen and warm us. We speak softly enjoying the early morning quiet. Soon enough everyone will be awake and talking…and talking…and talking. 

What fun it is to reminisce about our college years at our small South Carolina Presbyterian college, Erskine College. There were great days, good days, bad days, and truly horrible days mixed together in those four years. They helped shape and define us. We were all touched by those years. We are better people because we shared that innocent time together. Now, we share our “golden years” together. Remembering, talking, laughing, and even crying. Life can be hard, unfair, disappointing. But, it can be happy, fun, and peaceful. There is a balance.

Travel is a part of that life, a part of that balance. We are together, traveling from our individual worlds to our shared world. And, in life, being together is one of the most important gifts we can give ourselves and each other. So, my friends, go…travel…whenever you can…wherever you can.