Last weekend my beloved grandma passed away at the age of 90, bless her heart.
Through old school pictures (and new school pictures), you can tell that she lived a happy and complete life. She had her family, a home, and lots of love. She attended many parties, danced on many dance floors, and went on plenty of vacations with her family, collecting countless souvenirs and memories.
One thing stung me a little as I reminisced: She never got to travel abroad, even though there were a few plans made many moons ago.
It hurt, because I put myself in her position. How I would feel.
Selfishly.
But then I thought about it . . .
She was a happy homebody. She didn't need to go much farther than the corner of her the town she raised her children in to find happiness. She didn't need to take a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower to feel complete.
Not to mention, traveling abroad back in her time was only attainable for the wealthy or to those who fought for our country… which was no vacation. So it just didn't happen when she was younger.
Another interesting fact is that my grandmother never drove a car... or more accurately - she tried driving once with her 4 children in the back of the car. She buckled in, began to reverse, and decided right then and there that it was just not going to work for "some reason" (cough*four kids* cough). And never tried again. So one might link 6-hour travel in a vessel that she couldn't control with 4+ loud, unruly children equally unnerving.
Plus, I think she really enjoyed the stories we'd bring back and tell her.
I think she liked looking at the photos and videos.
And I really think that she didn't mind because her wanderlust heart was so full already:
The epic vacations to her kiddie pool in the backyard sufficed.
The excursion to the jungle of plants she had up on her hill was comparable to a tropical rainforest adventure in the summer.
The 13-hour car rides to South Carolina were like an accommodating cruise with a standby personal assistant (10 year old me).
Visits down to Florida to see her daughter and grandchildren were perfection.
My grandma traveled. It just looked a little different.
I'd just like to think that now she has a free pass to anywhere in the world at any time, sans a 6-hour flight, so it is all ok.
In fact, I hope that she travels with me from here on out, so she gets to not only see the pictures, but feel the wind in her face.
... though I don't think she'll be reaching over the Cliffs of Moher, even in her afterlife...
Me circa 2010 hanging over the Cliffs of Moher. Me circa now would never do that, just FYI
skal xx