Making of a Travel Journal
turns out the East Coast is all right
It’s weird that I haven’t done this before, right? I made a few scrapbooks back in the 90s and I certainly have journaled while traveling, but I never mindfully and intentionally set out to create a specific travel journal.
Until now.
The last time I wrote you, I talked about savoring. Documenting life experiences is a form of savoring. It extends the pleasure of a moment and focuses a lens (literal or figurative) on the events we’d like to remember. So when my son asked if I’d like to meet him in New York City for a few days of museums and theatre, I decided that a) yes, I absolutely wanted to do that, and b) I wanted to capture the trip in a journal.
This trip was bittersweet. It was the first time I’d ventured anywhere (besides home to Colorado) since Kevin died. And since my son wouldn’t be meeting me until a few days in, it was also the first time in a very long while that I’d faced a whole new location without a companion to back me up. It was exciting because I knew it was something I had to do to live the sort of life I wanted in this new reality, and there I was, doing it! At the same time, I was sad and lonely and just a little bit terrified.
But I had my notebook.
It’s such a simple thing—just some paper and a pen—but knowing I had the “job” of documenting my experiences kept me moored to the moment. It kept me noticing. My mind couldn’t wander to what was missing because it was focused on what was right in front of me and what was possible.
The possible, it turned out, was falling in love with yet another city, which was just what I needed. New York, you’re all right. I’ll be back.
Until next time, I’m wishing you love and joy and all those good things,
Jenn
P.S. Keep scrolling to read about what’s coming next. And if any of this—the video, this newsletter, something I said in the past—has hit home with you, let me know in the comments or even by replying to this email. For real. I love hearing from you.
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