Our World Edventure just got real!

Our world trip moved from being a conceptual, on paper, planning process to reality on Oct 19, 2015. It was the day we purchased our first “one-way” plane tickets. One-way tickets are amazing because it means you are heading in one direction and not coming back… until the day you purchase another set of “one way” plane tickets and book the flight home. For us, they represent the hope of the education and adventure that awaits us, and the miles we will trek over our 13-month trip.

These tickets will take us from Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK) on June 22, 2016 to begin our world edventure. We decided to start in New York (the only US destination in our 13 month journey) because that is the place our ancestors first entered this country as immigrants. As we journey to Ellis Island and gaze out to the Statue of Liberty, we will remember the great ship journeys across “the pond” to this land of opportunity. We will look for our family names and thank God they courageously made the journey so many years ago. We will look forward to visiting the places they once called home in Europe, and then set our sights on the farther-flung places our ancestor’s ancestors once came from.

New York will be a great starting point for another reason:  Broadway! Yes, we confess, we love musicals and love the stage! Our oldest daughter, Harmony, goes to a performing arts school (OCSA) and all our girls love Broadway music and shows. My wife, Nicole, knows the lyrics to more Broadway music than anyone I have ever known! So we will begin our journey taking in the sights and sounds of Broadway.

It is exciting to book these one-way tickets! Nicole even looked up what side of the plane we should be on to see the lights of New York when we land – apparently the left side of the plane – who knew?! When I pressed submit, Delta airlines said I had 247 days until we depart. Oh. My. Goodness! That is coming up fast!

Now, if everything that happens in life is viewed as a metaphor, I should also share one other thing that happened as I tried to book our “one-way” tickets: our bank sent us a credit card alert! Apparently, our information had been compromised, and someone was making fraudulent charges on our card at that exact same moment. That was just a “bit” stressful (an understatement, kind of like the British saying, “we’re having a bit of weather” when a Texas size storm is ripping trees apart) while I was trying to fill out the info on six plane reservations and pick seat assignments.

The metaphor is this: as we journey, things will go wrong, but we want to wear lenses that help us to view the world and see what is going right.

There will be moments we are taken advantage of, and mistakes that will need to be rectified. How we respond to these challenges will be part of our learning. Our hope is that we can remember to not view the world through the lens of suspicion and mistrust. Sure, we need to be discerning, that is the responsible thing. But there is much beauty in the world, great people we are looking forward to meeting, and learning opportunities that will need to be internalized.

How we come back to that worldview, time and time again, in spite of negative circumstances, will also be part of our learning and part of our one-way journey.

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.
It’s up to you, New York, New York!”