Ten Days: Places

Sigh. I was doing so well with this challenge and then bam!...four days go by and I write nothing. I tried to blog on Friday night, but I was so tired that I stared at the screen with glossy eyes and finally shut the laptop after Bryant reminded me that I blog for myself, not for others. And then my weekend was just so darn fun that blogging wasn't on the top of my priority list. But now I'm back and instead of trying to play catch up, I'm just going to pick up where I left off.

Here we go...

Six places. You would think this would be one of the easiest posts for me to write because I love traveling more than most human beings. You would think that I could come up with lists upon lists of places I want to visit and explore. You would think, and you would be right…that’s the problem!! My first thought when I saw today’s topic was “Only 6?!! How in the world can I choose just six places?!” And from there, I began contemplating how I would address the open-endedness of “places.” Does that mean favorite places? Does it mean places I want to travel to? Does it mean places with special memories attached to them? Does it mean a city or a country or someone’s house? You can imagine that my mind was nearly exploding with questions and possibilities.

In the end, I chose to split up my six places into two categories: 1) favorite places and 2) places that either shaped me as a person or have special memories attached to them. I figure that you hear all about my travel dreams and places I want to go on a regular basis, but you don't always hear about places that mean something to me. Come travel with me for a moment, will you?

Favorite Places:

1) My parents' house - It's probably not surprising that the place where so many memories are made is one of my favorites. That home is the very definition of love.

2) Cadiz, Spain - When I studied abroad in this quaint coastal city, I left a piece of my heart there. As a young college student, I always claimed I was an independent woman. Spain made that bold declaration a reality.

3) Gimmelwald, Switzerland - There is no other place on earth that takes my breath away like Gimmelwald does. It is pleasantly out of touch with the modern world and there is something utterly charming about that.

Places that shaped me/places with special memories:

4) Wildhorse Canyon YoungLife Camp (Antelope, Oregon) - Sitting on a bench alone overlooking the canyon, I told God I wanted Him to not just be the God my parents believed in, but my Savior. That was a moment I'll remember forever.

5) Santiago, Dominican Republic - I saw poverty like I've never experienced before. I saw God in a Haitian refugee village. I learned more than I taught. I realized that living simply is a gift.

(The photo on the left was my room)

6) Vernazza, Italy - The boy I married told me he loved me for the very first time on the fortress atop this village.

I hope you enjoyed the little journey I just took you on, because all six of those places are truly special to me. My life is fuller and more joy-filled because of them.