Turning Towards Summer

Springtime is well underway. As we watch the earth come back to life, I can’t help but begin to think of summer. Homegrown tomatoes, paddle boarding and a summer adventure or two.

Last summer, I enjoyed the experience of a lifetime when I took a biking trip through Spain with my two adult sons.

We joined a group of roughly 70, including associates from the AC Hotels by Marriott in Spain for a portion of Ruta Xacobea 2018, an annual 500-mile journey to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain.

It’s a journey that winds through beautiful and iconic cities including Logrono, Burgos, Leon and Ponferrada before concluding in Santiago de Compostela. My sons and I joined for the last three of the six-day tour.

Antonio Catalan, the founder and president of AC Hotels, started this ride 28 years ago. But people have been traveling the Camino de Santiago since the Middle Ages because there’s a shrine of the apostle James located in the cathedral. It’s breathtaking – and a place we reached only after a breath-taking endurance test.

This unforgettable trip was a confirmation that – for me – unique experiences will always outweigh material possessions.

Of course, I am fortunate to have access to both. My point is to encourage everyone to slow down this year and do something memorable – whether it’s halfway around the world or in the neighborhood. Summer is just around the corner. Make it an adventure – experience it with people you love.

I have children who are grown so the issue feels more urgent to me. I can remember how I felt when, one-by-one, they left for college over the span of eight years. Of course, they were home for extended breaks during the holidays and the summer – so my wife Ruth and I could pretend that things hadn’t changed that much. It’s when they graduated that the ground started to shift in our family, and I hear from other friends that this is not uncommon. They have new jobs, limited vacation and, often, they want to spend that time with friends.

The fact that my two sons gave up five days of vacation to spend time with me is priceless. It was an intense physical challenge. We shared many laughs, soaked in the local scenery and history with our Spanish colleagues as guides and more than anything, spent time talking – offline. I’ll treasure the experience forever.

Don’t let this summer end without being deliberate about collecting your own experiences. Whether with loved ones, new friends or alone, summer is to savor. Enjoy.