From Hawaii to England to Manhattan and Back
March 3-22, 2015
Whenever I tell people that I am going to England for a
break or a holiday trip, I always know what they are imagining…that I am going
to bop around London seeing all of the famous sights eating fish and chips
while drinking in all of the wonderful tones of the British accent. It takes
most more than a few moments to recall that there is more to England than
London. What I mean when I say I am going to England is the equivalent of
someone saying they are going to spend a few weeks at their grandmother’s
house. The idea that the setting is in England does trigger some romantic
sensibilities but the truth of the matter is that I am going to travel half way
around the world to visit my lovely sister, two nieces, and a nephew to
experience the day-to-day life with them.
And that is exactly what I got to do this trip: playing Uno
and Skip-bo for hours, building Lego, having dance parties in the kitchen,
washing dishes, making several trips to Tesco, hanging art work, baking,
watching movies, and learning to jump rope in the garden. Naturally we did try to weave in a
little adventure. We explored museums and libraries in other cities beyond
Coventry and took in all of the sights of Spring in the local parks and on the paths
along the canal.
I must clarify that I don’t want to mislead. I did spend a
little time in London with my friend Kara, and we did see some of the big
attractions. Like everything with Kara, it was done in an unconventional way
and very much in the moment. I too got to share other moments with her and her
friends around a table at a local pub and chase the sunset at Greenwich Park.
I have learned from this extreme island hop experience that
life is about being: being intentional and being present in the moments where
life happens.
My journey ended with just one of those moments of being and
sharing. My final Island destination was none other than Manhattan. Here I
shared moments basking in the sun on a rock or a bench in Central Park with two
dear friends. No Broadway shows or Times Square lights - just three friends
intentionally coming together to enrich a few shared moments of being.
Whenever I tell people that I am going to England for a
break or a holiday trip, I always know what they are imagining…that I am going
to bop around London seeing all of the famous sights eating fish and chips
while drinking in all of the wonderful tones of the British accent. It takes
most more than a few moments to recall that there is more to England than
London. What I mean when I say I am going to England is the equivalent of
someone saying they are going to spend a few weeks at their grandmother’s
house. The idea that the setting is in England does trigger some romantic
sensibilities but the truth of the matter is that I am going to travel half way
around the world to visit my lovely sister, two nieces, and a nephew to
experience the day-to-day life with them. 
I must clarify that I don’t want to mislead. I did spend a
little time in London with my friend Kara, and we did see some of the big
attractions. Like everything with Kara, it was done in an unconventional way
and very much in the moment. I too got to share other moments with her and her
friends around a table at a local pub and chase the sunset at Greenwich Park.
