In Gratitude

For me, Thanksgiving has little to do with turkey dinner and more about the connection we share with the people in our lives and our experiences together.

Humans are social beings. We choose to gather together whenever we have reason to share one of more strong emotions like love, joy, fear, sadness, anger, pride, disgust or surprise.

The emotion I wish to share this Thanksgiving is gratitude, which is a major component of joy. Despite a challenging couple of years, I sincerely hope you are grateful for so much this year. For me…

I am grateful to be alive. For having good health after 7 decades on this beautiful planet. And I am also very grateful for the scientists and medical professional who keep me optimal in mind, body and spirit.

I am grateful for having a wonderful 44 year marriage despite suddenly ending with Linda’s passing. I am doubly grateful for sharing the last five years with another fabulous woman whom I love and adore. Thank you, Beverly.

I am grateful for my family both near and far. Discovering cousins has been a wonderful delight.

I am grateful for my close friends as well as all of my neighbors and acquaintances that add to the bounty in my life.

I am grateful to the children I tell stories each month. I see the future through them and it’s in good hands.

I am grateful to be in a business that is designed to bring joy, relaxation and delight to all I am lucky to serve.

“Travel, Mark Twain wrote, is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

I am grateful for all the travel suppliers, associations and advisors that inspire and encourage me to learn everyday and to grow my business with truth, enthusiasm and joy.

I am grateful to have traveled much of the world.

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” — Gustave Flaubert

I am grateful to all my clients who trust me to design and implement the vacations that they want and deserve. My motto is to Make Memories, Not Regrets?.

Having traveled the world, I am sincerely grateful that I was born, raised and live in the world’s best melting pot of people, ideas and natural wonders, the United States of America.

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” — Lin Yutang

I am grateful to have all of these gifts in my life and I sincerely wish you all the love, peace and happiness in the world.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” John F. Kennedy

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” — Oprah Winfrey