The Dream and The Mission of Travel LISTTIN

Back in 2007 - after a week of hiking and camping along the Inca trail, I was atop Machu Picchu gazing at the full glory of the Andes Mountains. I had dreamed of this moment since viewing a National Geographic spread in my childhood. I had just had corrective surgery on my eyes (I no longer need corrective lenses!), which spurred me to check this location off my 'Bucket List.' My dream and lifelong goal realized, I was content to just bask in the beauty of this place - and stand in awe of the civilzations that have gone before us and the wonder of God's creation. One of my travel companions had acquired a bacterial infection along the trail, and her strength was waning. When folks around us discussed trying to be one of the select few (300 a day at the time) to climb Huayna Picchu (also known as: Wayna Pikchu), I held back - excusing myself by saying: my travel companion was feeling ill, I didn't want to abandon her, and that I would hike it 'the next time.' A young man from England spoke up and enlightened me. He told me to consider that I would never be as young as I am now, that there was no guarantee I would return, and that if I thought I could do it - the time to try it would be now. This advice sounds ridiculously simple when I look back on it, but it was exactly what I needed to hear! After ensuring my travel companion was content to sit in the splendor of the mountains (near the bathroom at the visitor center) I began my climb. Roughly an hour, my newly corrected vision filled with tears as I looked down on Mach Picchu, seeing from a different angle the place of my dreams. Butterflies surrounded the rocky peak of Huayna Picchu - and I lifted my prayers of gratitude. That trip changed me and gave me a philosophy for living that has resonated within me ever since. The future is an unknown for many of us - and while there is still life within us, we should live it to the fullest. Take the opportunities as they come. Do not put off what you can do. We each have just the one life to live... we are the protagonists in our own stories. We must make Main Character decisions - and have Main Character experiences - and bring that energy to the time we have remaining - for no one is promised tomorrow.