There is much written about pain and joy relationships. The pain of hard work, the joy of success. The pain of childbirth, the joy of a baby. The pain of college, the joy of a diploma; and on and on.

Say what? What does this have to do with our traveling adventure?

Well, we’ve known we were leaving for 6 months. Close friends and family all knew we were leaving in 6 months. We’ve talked it over and over and over. We sweated and watched as the furniture disappeared. We got used to not having a washer & dryer. Then got used to not having a refrigerator or rugs on the floor.

Then it happened. We had to say our good-byes.

At first it wasn’t so hard. But the more real it all became, as time came closer to leave, the harder it was. There is just something about close physical proximity that offers security. The same routines, the familiar faces, the joys of coffee together, the comfort of the old.

Yes it’s hard.

Our children, our granddaughter, our relatives, our good pals and buddies, our ex-coworkers, the barista at the coffee shop, and the teller at the bank. All these and more have been such a huge part of our lives over the past years.

And we are SO grateful to have had these nourishing relationships.

So how can we leave it all behind?

Because we know we will see you all again. And when that day comes, the sun will shine brilliantly, the smiles will gleam, and the stories and tales will be told. We will all be richer for the parting, wiser for the absence, and so happy to be together again.

“The pain of parting, is nothing to the joy of meeting again” —Charles Dickens