Starting Over

We must take adventures to know where we really belong.

Traveling and life often go together. Moving is often part of that equation. As such, I present the following case study:

A Case Study, or Starting Over

I remember the day my family moved for the first time. 

I was seven. It was a sunny day. I have always found that ironic, because films portray moving as a rainy day scene. The last of our things had been packed, and it was finally time to leave. As a little girl, I did not understand the concept of leaving behind a chapter of life we had occupied for (in my mind) so long. That day I learned what it means to not look back.

The Warrior's Heart

Hello bloggers! Today's post is also going to be a book review, as I am currently working on other posts under the "insights" and "culture" labels. Check back for this reading material shortly!

The Warrior's Heart by Eric Greitens is an adapted memoir based on the author's initial publication of The Heart and the Fist. The Warrior's Heart is a book targeted towards the young adult genre, but it is also a good read for any age. Eric Greitens is a humanitarian and scholar, and also served as an officer for the Navy SEALs. I recommend you read his bio on his website, which you can find here.

A poignant nonfiction novel, The Warrior's Heart is an eye-opening adventure into Greitens' experiences in war-torn countries. He begins the novel describing his desire to do humanitarian work, with reference to his time spend in Rwanda and Bosnia after genocide ripped their countries apart. His experiences in a Rwanda refugee camp are raw and real, showing his many interactions with families whose lives had been affected by the discord in their countries.

Greitens continues his novel with the discussion of his time training for the Navy SEALs. One of the most prestigious and coveted branches of United States military, it is a difficult program with rigorous training. As Greitens becomes a SEAL, he writes about his active duty experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Upon returning to the States, Greitens donated his combat pay to found The Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization that helps rehabilitate soldiers and provide them with roles in the community. The Warrior's Heart is a reflection of Greitens' personality. It is a story of courage, of redemption, and of righting the wrongs in our world. I do not want to go into excessive detail, as I want you to discover the gem of this story on your own.

I will leave you with this quotation from the novel:

“Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and the author of Man's Search for Meaning, wrote that human beings create meaning in three ways: through their work, through their relationships, and by how they choose to meet unavoidable suffering. Every life brings hardship and trial, and every life also offers deep possibilities for meaningful work and love ... I've learned that courage and compassion are two sides of the same coin.” (Greitens)

Happy reading, my friends.

Summertime, and the livin' is easy...

"Summertime, and the livin' is easy..."

Summer is great for a lot of things. Popsicles. Aviator sunglasses. Wiggling your toes in the freshly mowed grass. Endless starry nights. Beaches. Daisies. Having supper on the patio. Campfires. S'mores. Driving with the windows rolled down.

Or summertime is maybe simply a time to get out of the house and just go. Somewhere. Anywhere. A break from the normal daily routine of life.

Follow the Locals

I'll admit it. I drool over travel magazines. The glossy pictures seem so realistic, begging me to jump within their pages while I'm half-hoping I'll end up in Ireland.

My monthly subscription to National Geographic Traveler came a few days ago, but in keeping busy with work, I was only able to open it just today. And my-oh-my, I was not disappointed. Entitled "Tours of a Lifetime," I knew this edition was one I would enjoy.

Margaret Loftus, a contributing editor for National Geographic Traveler, paints a picturesque view of many sought-after adventures for the wandering traveler. Broken into divisions, there are tours in Africa, Asia, South and Central America, Europe, North America, and the Pacific Islands and Oceania.

Personally, I'd like to go on the "Wild Irish Rover" guided tour. It is a road trip around Ireland, hosted by Vagabond Adventure Tours of Ireland. For eight days, I'd get to explore the Irish countryside and since I have Irish ancestry, I'd be able to track down my roots. Neat, right? Plus, all good travelers know that if you want the ultimate experience, you'll talk with the locals about the sights to see and places to go. Follow the locals!

I guess I'll add it to my growing list of tours and places to see, but for now, I'll just hope I don't wrinkle the pages in my favorite magazine.

Want to read about it yourself? Take a look here:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/tours/

The furthest I've ever been - Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska