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A very happy Thanksgiving to my readers in the United States and warm regards to my readers around the world. I want to pause on this day and take a moment to reflect on the many blessings that have come my way, especially the blessings of friendship.
This is a travel blog, but first and foremost I am deeply grateful for my faith and family, pillars upon which all else is possible.
Today I want to focus on the generosity of friendship and how traveling has made it so sweet. In the last year I have literally traveled around the world. Some of the trips were solo, but many were with friends (including my wife, who is my best friend and a patient saint who was unwaveringly loyal and supportive).
As much as I love solo travel, there’s nothing quite like traveling with someone else. Sharing memories in places from Paris to Petra and from Copenhagen to Cape Town is a blessing that goes beyond travel. Traveling is a noble goal in itself, but traveling with others is more than just the icing on the cake, it opens up a deeper dimension of joy that blends with travel to create a pinnacle of human joy.
Life can throw curveballs. I’ve been through a lot in the past few years, and just as the joy of friendship is a climax, betrayal of friends represents a deep and dark valley of pain and despair. But sometimes it is necessary to move forward, learn from our mistakes and not look back. In fact, I would argue that this is a path to maturity and a path to true gratitude for those who are true friends.
So as I look back on the year, I am deeply grateful for my friends and for the new friendships that have been formed. I am grateful that after eight years of marriage, my friendship and love for my wife is growing deeper and my work-life balance is more reflective of the priorities I represent.
Thank you all for reading this blog, a labor of love, and for your insightful comments (mostly…).
Wherever you are today, take a moment to say thank you to your friends.
“A friend’s kindness comes from his earnest advice.”
-Proverbs 27:9B
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