Travel and write

I have always loved to travel. After retiring from a forty-year career in management, I discovered that I also loved to write. For me, the best of both worlds is to combine my writing and my travel bug. When I began writing the story of my father’s youth, a ninety-day road trip took my husband and I, along with our dog, Charlie, from our home in Southern California to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. I spent twelve days visiting family, talking about past experiences, and driving through the neighborhoods my dad would have spent his childhood growing up in. I could see him in my mind’s eye: running around with his friends, swimming and boating in the Allegheny River, working in the steel mills from the age of only thirteen. Those steels mills are gone, some replaced by housing complexes. Still, I’m thankful not much else changed, and I could envision his surroundings more clearly as I continued my writing.

At the end of the twelve days in the Pittsburgh area, we continued our three-month adventure. Watch for one of my future writing projects, “Circling America in 90 days." We have a beautiful, diverse world, and it’s important to get out there to experience it.

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Charlie

Often while writing, my attention is drawn to Charlie, sprawled out on his dog-bed, not a care in the world. He seems to sense me looking at him. His large dog eyes, characterized by his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed, open directed back at me. I know he’s hoping I’m going to remove my laptop and invite him up. He gets to his feet, walks over and sits staring up at me. How can I resist? I set my laptop aside and pat my legs. “Come on.” He settles in for as long of a nap as I allow. I breath deep while moving my hand over his back. My head clears. Eventually Charlie is sent back to his comfy bed, and I get back at it.

When we’re gone, our stories go with us

It’s common for the younger generation to not yet be interested in the lives of those that preceded them. My baby-boomer generation is at an age to be much more curious about the lives of our parents and grandparents—as many of them are now gone. But once gone, there’s often no one left to tell their story, no one left to answer our questions.

I realized this to be true when I knew my parents were approaching their final years. I took advantage of every opportunity to ask questions, listened to the stories of their youth, and wrote them for my children and grandchildren.

Don’t be left with regrets after it’s too late to sit with them to have those conversations.

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You are capable of more than you think

Whether young or old, we can sometimes be surprised by what we are capable of. If you’re young, it may be something that you imagine yourself doing at some point in your life. If further in years, it may be what you’ve always done and done well. I spent over forty years in corporate management, which by all accounts, I was successful at, and after retirement continued to consult in. I also began writing. I had already made a commitment to my father that I would write the memoir of his youth. But I never thought I would become an actual author. I self-published that first book on Amazon, “The Boy in The Wagon: They Said I Would Never Walk Again.”

Surprisingly, it was a bestseller in three book categories, and a #1 New Release in two. I am so grateful but even before that happened I had already realized how much I enjoyed writing and had a list of potential writing ideas to pursue.

My father always told me not to let anyone set my limits, test them, push through to see if they are real, and he lived that out. I am so thankful I had someone like him in my life to implant that thought and principle into my mind. That said, I encourage everyone: whatever you do, enjoy it, do it well and to the best of your abilities. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you to pursue the best God has for you and do the same for others.