Beautiful People,

A couple of weeks ago, I announced a new tradition: celebrating Fridays with quotes by fellow authors and friends. Send me your favorite quotes (yours, mom’s, grandpa’s, your children’s or someone else) in a FB message and I will post on Fridays with a credit.

This week I give credit to a fellow author Jhumpa Lahiri that her book, The Namesake, I had finished reading yesterday.

During a train ride, just before disaster strikes, Ashoke Ganguli, one of the main characters, is advised by a fellow passenger: “Pack a pillow and blanket and see as much of the world as you can. You will not regret it.”

I am not a stranger to world travel. When I was in high school, my teacher had given us an assignment to write a tourist guide for a city of our choice.

I chose London, and during my research I felt reading about a place and visiting in it are two very different things. I wondered how loud the big ben chimes, what the street looks like from the second deck of a red double-decker bus, and what does British accent sound like?

I found a job and saved up for a year until I had enough to fund my first world trip to London. I was 16.

Over the years, I had traveled so much and the world seemed endless. My travels taught me to accept and respect the differences between people, be tolerant, listen (especially when I don’t understand), follow my intuition, not to fear the unknown, take risks, and believe in myself and in others.

They also taught me there are numerous sides to a conflict, the truth is subjective, and ignorance is the most dangerous threat to humanity (after climate change).

So beautiful people, GO PLACES, listen, learn, experience and safely come back.

XO,
Sharon