Sometimes it just takes being in a different environment to remember the good things in life. I am sipping a mulled wine right now, chit-chatting, relaxing and enjoying the company of good friends. No stress, no timelines, no deadlines. Just chilaxin. Enjoying people. Take a moment and enjoy those around you too. (And doing it over some wine never hurts.)
I must say, my favorite time of the year is almost always Thanksgiving. I’ve begun a whole set of traditions over the years… things that have meaning to me and that I hope one day to share with a family. But for now, they bring a smile to my face and warm the cockles of my soul.
It all started when I moved out on my own for the first time, back in 1998. That was the first year I really had to decorate for the holidays. So, starting on that Thanksgiving day, I began using the morning as the time during which I put up my tree and decorated the house. This activity was often accompanied by watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Love a good parade!)
Well, this traditional held up for a good 4 or 5 years… and then I discovered Italy! I had always wanted to learn how to cook Italian food. So, in the Spring of 2004 I went on a 10 day Italian cooking course. Fell in love with the country! And reconnected with some old college pals who happened to live there. One thing led to another and they invited me to come back and see them. (They probably never thought I would take them up so quickly.) The next year, seeing that we get extra days at Thanksgiving off of work, I booked the trip and off I went.
Five years later, I am en route to Italy again. Love spending the holiday there with my extended Italian family. Love being “Uncle Hugo” to the kids, enjoying great wine, amazing Italian dishes, and what is becoming a rotating group of people each year around the table. What’s not to love about spending a week near the foothills of the Alps?
So, off I go. I’ll let you know what vinos I taste and what marvels I sample from the kitchen of Mrs. Jessica Rinn!
Korean War Memorial DC
Part of my addiction to multi-colored canvas shoes. Four more pairs in closet. Addicted!!
God has really been smiling on me in recent years. I feel so humbled. I’ve loved my work, I’m more connected with fam and the real friends. Thing are good. The secret? Dedication to God… Even through the hardships and the “I don’t knows” of life. Maturity comes in being happy on whatever circumstance. That’s what I work on day to day. But on a day like today, having just completed a round the world trip for work… Humbled is al I feel. Thank you God for the opportunities!!
I sometimes forget when travelling around the world that not everyone comes from a Western culture. Case in point, my hotel room in Bali had no Gideon Bible to be found. Instead, there was an arrow painted onto a pull out section of desk pointing toward Mecca, lest we forget the direction of our morning prayers. And before entering the area for breakfast, I saw servers placing hot food and flowers alongside incense before the idol on the stand. We’re not in Kansas anymore.
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