The List of Life

Italy. The coast of Africa. Ireland. Bora Bora. And then last night I learn Poland is on the list.

I'm alright with Poland ... so long as we go in the summer!

I've actually been once with Bill Berry (not the former drummer for REM but the other one) and it was quite the adventure. We got busted on a train when we were the only passengers. We woke up a fairly of Gypsies sleeping in front of an ATM then had to flee down the road. We jumped off a bus to spend the day in a concentration camp and were the only people there! We walked on railroad tracts until we could jump on a train to make our way back to another train.

But I digress.

We're in St. Augustine with the Carnival of Friends having a grand ol' time. For some unexplained reason, the conversation turned serious and Sarah and Jodee Sadowsky were talking of juggling Gypsies and suddenly the list grew longer. Who doesn't want to see juggling Gypsies ... especially when they're of your lineage?

Sarah and I have a list of places to visit. It always seems to be growing. I had no idea she wanted to go to her homeland until last night but now we have to go.

Complicating things is I want to keep returning to places I've already been like St. Martin, Key West and here in St. Augustine.

Further complicating things is Sarah is tired of traveling and would like to stay home for a while. She's forever indicating that I'm of the opinion that home is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.

I don't think this is true but I do know a few things. Life is short and I'm determined to not miss out on what I have left of it. I don't know how or why but I've already gotten to see a lot of the world but there is more I want to experience.

A lot of people are surprised that we always seem to be going somewhere. "What you just got back?" they say. Implied under their words are certain convictions. Vacations are alright but should only occur occasionally. You should do that when you retire. If it's work-related then you are to be pitied but just going somewhere because you've never been is ludicrous. I think they want me to confine the way I live.

My friend Guy Sayles writes an excellent meditation and his latest revolves around what a panther sees confined to his cage ( http://www.facebook.com/notes/guy-sayles/free-from-the-cage/586866744674395). Guy suggest that God desires us to be free from the cages we inprision ourselves in as we live life.

So the list keeps growing. There's just so much to see waiting in front of me ... so we got to go.