Travel Exposure

It’s a terrible thing how much we take for granted those that we love every day. There was a time, not too long ago, that I looked forward to being away on this new adventure. Though I knew at the time it would be difficult to leave my wife and my son for the duration, it also held some of the promise of the “good old single life”.

I’m sure I’m not alone when, inside a marriage, I look back at the days when I had no committments and could come and go as I pleased. In fact, I know I’m not alone because France and I have talked about it and she’s felt the same way from time to time. But like the life as a couple that you give up when you have children, neither of us have felt that the “good old single life” was so good as to be worth giving up the great life we have together.

Three weeks ago when I left for the airport to begin the first journey, I was excited and eager. This past week with my family was a joy and pretty much resumed exactly where it had left off. But something else seems to have come from it, come from the sudden contrasts between living alone and living with family. Leaving didn’t seem like the same adventure it was the first time. Kissing my wife goodbye this morning was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do. I really didn’t want to go.

It’s going to be difficult, being away from them for the next four weeks. I’ll make the most of it, I guess. I’m paying the price, so I might as well get something for it. During that time, I’ll try to write about more interesting things… instead of my own self-pity.