Posted by Serenity in travel, You Say Things Now | 15 Comments
things we’d like to experience for ourselves
I’m thoroughly enjoying your answers to what book world you’d like to enter. I love that there are things we’d like to change (Beth’s untimely death, Heathcliff’s sadness, Gilbert’s tragic white face when silly, ridiculous Anne rejects his proposal even though we all know he’s the only boy for her) but deep down we know our favorite books wouldn’t be the same with our changes. My friend “WidneyWoman” suggested I add a book recommendations list to my website, and I love that idea. So you might see that begin to pop up one of these days.
I’ve always wanted to start a blog with this sentence: In a former life, I was a hermit. I have this intense love for (every now and then) having the whole house all to myself. When I’m at a party, I like to slip away to a quiet room now and then and take in the happiness of the crowded noises far away but otherwise find my own thoughts again. And sometimes I think that if I was all alone all the time, I would eventually think out the answers to everything.
The truth is – that’s all craziness. I relish alone time now because the rest of my days and moments are loud and giggly and filled with boys (big and little). And no one comes to all the answers all alone. I firmly believe we need to bump up against others’ thoughts and ideas in order to reach complete ones. So, it’s only in those sudden alone and quiet moments when I think it would be nice to experience living in some mountain cabin somewhere alone, from which I would only emerge now and then to go to town for supplies (i.e., more pen and paper (Oh, the writing I’d do!!), and to set the locals talking about lovely, mysterious me.
However, there are other things I truly would like to one day experience for myself. Exhibit A: The streets of New York City. There’s a little part of me that believes I really could have lived there (you know, in another life), worked there, even raised children there. (“Sarah Jessica Parker is doing it!”) And I want to at least visit there and find out for myself if I’m insane. (I want to try cupcakes a la Katie Holmes, a Gray’s Papaya hot dog (from Fools Rush In) and find a used bookstore I like and visit the part of Central Park that matches the picture Charity took recently and which now sits on my desktop. (You can see the tall buildings just over the green, leafy trees).
I also think I could have been a world traveler. The 17-year-old me would disagree. But I’ve changed on that. And now I picture myself in Ireland – with no purpose at all; Paris, Venice, and Greece for all the things you hear about and know exist but really want to see for yourself; and third world countries to visit the orphanages I’m supporting with my independent wealth and the hundreds of children I’m sponsoring through World Vision. The full extent of that traveling is a little beyond my means, my time allowances, and my husband’s agreement – in this lifetime. But I still feel determined to visit more places like that before I die. I believe discovering beautiful Ireland, exploring Paris once, and embracing for myself the intense need of children across the world – I believe all that would change me. And I want to experience it for myself.
One more for me – and then it’s your turn. Prince Edward Island. I definitely want to experience for myself what Lover’s Lane really looked like and what a walk to school would have truly been. And what it sounds like to live near the shore. And why in the world Anne hated November so much.
What about you? What do you hope to one day experience for yourself?
Ireland is at the top of my list! Primarily because my heritage is Irish and also because my mom always wanted to be able to go to Ireland and trace her roots. She died without fulfilling her desire, so a part of me thinks if I were to go there on her behalf, it would make me less sad that she never went in person. I’d also like to visit friends I have in places like Slovenia and Ukraine, as well as Sweden & Denmark. Basically, I’d just like to see the world!
Cheri, I love that. That would be such a moving experience for you. It would definitely make you less sad about it.
I’d love to go to Prince Edward Island, too, and New York – I’ve never been. I want to live in Europe again, and travel to SO many more places – Provence, more of Ireland, Greece, and on and on. I want to publish a book – novel or memoir, I can’t decide. And eventually, I hope to experience motherhood. (I’m already loving marriage.)
I’m LOVING these series of posts. (Are they a “series”?) I’ve never been to Europe. I want to see cocky, confident Frenchmen (you know the ones that wear hats, short black pants, shiny shoes and man scarfs and own it) up close. I want to see the Eiffel Towel and visit Italy and London and Spain and Ireland. (Everywhere please!)
I’d love to visit the Big Apple as well and feel like I’m the heroine of a romantic comedy. You know those couple of seconds when the movie starts and she’s hailing a cab or running across a busy street, talking on her phone and heading to work?…I would also be happy to just be incognito and see if I can spot any celebrities.
Oh, and the Walk of Fame in Hollywood!
Okay, and this one is embarrassing considering I lived right by the ocean for years, but I want to swim in the ocean and marvel at how completely clear the water is, how something about oceans make you feel small but not insignificant; far from humanity but close to God.
Sadly, oceans freak me out and fish nibbling (ahem, swimming) around my feet make me cry and act like a five year old. Not that this has ever HAPPENED. Okay, maybe once…or twice. I want to do this and do it without fear.
I swear this is my last one but my best friend and I have always wanted to travel to a third-world country, work there and film a documentary.
Hey, “the streets of New York City” are okay, but I’m always glad to go home to New Jersey at night.
Ooo…just shuddered. Never thought NJ would be the better of any two options in my mind.
Although NYC wouldn’t be my favorite place to live and raise a family, there are some nice neighborhoods. A couple of times lately I’ve walked through the south end of West Village into Greenwich village on the way to a programmer’s workshop and have been impressed by the quiet, windy, narrow tree-lined streets and short old brick houses. Just a few steps into them and you don’t really notice the noise of 7th Ave S behind you. That sort of place must be nice, for those who can afford it.
BTW, not long ago I switched my blog’s header to one with a scene from Central Park like what you described. Green trees and then tall buildings. It’s a whole other world.
OK–I spend WAY too much time thinking about things I wish I could do. Just ask Amy. Yes, I’ve gotten professional help–still working on that.
1. Visit Ireland and hopefully experience a bit of live music in a local pub.
2. Hike the coast-to-coast trail in Britain.
3. Visit Japan and stay in a Ryokan.
4. Visit Hawaii, snorkel Molokini crater, enjoy the beach, and play some ukulele. And maybe stay. :-)
5. Take my kids on a grand tour of the great American national parks, particularly through the southwest.
6. See the redwood forests of California.
7. Visit China and experience the food of every different province, maybe with some cooking lessons.
8. Go on an African safari.
9. Learn to sail a Polynesian outrigger canoe and navigate by the stars. (There is actually a multi-day trip you can sign up for to do this!)
10. Travel across the country by train.
I think I’m nearing the comment length limit, so I’d better stop at 10. :-)
Love this post! I am so with you on the whole World Traveler paragraph!!! Let’s go!!!
I really enjoy reading your blog (and have for some time!). I have always had a not so secret crush on Gilbert Blythe. He’s the best. I connected with Anne as a kid because she was quirky, temperamental, imaginative and because she wanted to be a writer. Her story stole my heart so PEI was a place I always wanted to see. When I was in college, my parents planned a family vacation there. It was even more perfect than I thought it would be! The sky was a clear perfect kind of blue. The sunsets are still the best I’ve ever seen (they broke my heart in a wonderful way :). It’s no wonder such a sweet story came out of that island. I dorked out and bought a book called “Anne’s Guide to the Island” or something like that. I wanted to see the Lake of Shining Waters and Lover’s Lane too :) So worth it! Seeing more of the world would definitely be on my list. And I think being married will be a great adventure too. I’m nowhere close to that part of my life yet, and I’m okay with that (most of the time :) but I look forward to it. Sorry to be so long winded! I was really just popping in to say I liked your blog :)
Oh the thrill of reading all your big long comments! Doesn’t it sort of help, Matt, to get it out there and also to see that other people have wishes too? It helps me. And you’ve inspired me to make a much more specific list of places I want to see someday.
Katie – yep, you’re going to LOVE motherhood. Sarah, it is a series, although I didn’t do as many as I planned to. :) Adam, I kind of forget you work in the City. Can I just tell you right now how thankful I am that you don’t squash my illusions that I will enjoy it? And Natalie – I remember you – I’m so glad you still enjoy the blog, and I really love our mutual love for Gil.
Some day I want to go to California to see the lemon, lime, orange, and avocado trees growing in people’s back yards. And of course Europe, but I don’t have specifics. My husband, who has been to Paris, says he would like to take me there some day. My mouth starts to water when he tells me about their bread and cheese. Yum!
My husband’s parents thought about visiting Prince Edward Island a few years ago, and after looking through all the brochures, I was ready to go too. The brochures made their way to my house, and I think they are still here somewhere . . . .
I really did go on one of my dream trips a few years ago. I really did go to London, then to Cambridge to visit my pen pal of 60 years in her very “Englishy” chalet in Histon. Went to Ely by car in a furious “fen blow” (high winds and blowing dust) and toured the cathedral there. Also, went to the theater in London and saw Lion King for the first time. Toured by train, automobile,bus, boat and feet, stayed in an interesting refurbished hotel with a little court yard below, found out the English do not provide wash cloths….bring your own if you want one, and have 26 pence in your pocket if you want to use the Loo (WC) at Victoria Station. All are memories I love to revisits, but I do not have any dreams of another such trip. My age has caused me to face the realities of physical decline so the best trip of all for me now is to open the French doors in our kitchen and step out on the deck to enjoy the view, the birds, wildlife and my garden.
Marilyn, that’s beautiful!
Yesterday, I was telling Amy what I posted, and I thought of another–a long ride in a hot air balloon.
The streets of Manhattan….the north-east coast in the fall….the Hawaiian islands…Canada….Great Britain…Northern Ireland….London…man I could go on forever Seren. The one dream I’ve always had, is Paris.
Oh wait.
:)
I’m so happy you’re about to experience that one, Tiff! I can’t believe it. It’s going to be amazing, I know it.