to scotland.

it's about time to leave for the airport.

i'm going to scotland :)

after quite the whirlwind, i've made it to another adventure...one involving passports, airports and time to think. it's my favorite thing in the world. i have a true addiction to it. i'm sitting here in my living room with my luggage in front of me, and there is nothing quite so satisfying as seeing all that work stuffed into a few small bags. i love preparing a suitcase with only the essentials, imagining what kind of journey i will be taking and what things i will need. starting with a large pile and slimming it down to a neat stack. little bottles of shampoo. batteries, snacks and something to read. plenty of socks and underwear.

a long time ago i discovered that this is what i wanted to live for. this is what i wanted my life to be. preparing for the next big adventure, taking the time to explore, grow and learn through challenging and exhilirating experiences. interacting with the whole world. this is what i'm meant to do. i'm not lucky, as one person said, except in that i am american, wealthy compared to the rest of the world and able-bodied. but all other things being equal, you have to want to do these things. it's been a rough little road up to today, losing my passport and finding it again, making financial sacrifices and taking risks, putting in extra hours at work, etc. but i've had so much faith in the beauty of adventure, the value of getting out in the world and taking the time to live, to truly live, in this world, that nothing has made this trip not worth it.

charlie should be here soon to take me to the airport. let's see what scotland has in store for claire bear and me...