A Bit of Encouragement

Travel is not much different than regular life as you will have moments of great joy and fulfillment and then times where nothing goes right and you feel helpless. This year is an example from a travel perspective of one that has been filled with ups and downs. We have had some great trips to different places that we learned a lot about different cities and cultures but we have also been stranded multiple times including during the big Texas freeze where we worried about our cats and home and hearing stories of great suffering and damage going on as we were in Phoenix. We sat nervously in the hotel room wondering when would we make it home and what would we find once we got there.

Not much different than our travel experiences in the past year life for everyone has not been easy in 2020 and 2021. For me personally I lost all of my remaining grandparents and Great-Aunts/Uncles and some family friends during this time. I have had friends out of work for long periods of time and others dealing with illness. More minor issues for us was replacing our Air Conditioner completely after it failed, and our washer needing complete replacement.

For me experiences while traveling, advice and wisdom from friends and family and most of all my personal faith in God help me get through whatever might come my way as frustrating and heartbreaking as it might be.

From a travel perspective

While traveling you learn to expect the unexpected both good and bad. We do all we can to prepare ourselves for possible issues by packing extra clothes and medicine just in case we are stranded, getting travel insurance just in case things go bad and keeping an eye on flights and other details so we can be prepared early if things looks to be going sour. We also try to stay calm and have a plan like who we should call and who might be able to help us out. This approach helped us out in Phoenix this year as our flight was suddenly canceled as we were trying to get home during the freeze. Right after we got through security our flight got cancelled and what was once relief that we were heading home turned to despair very quickly. All was not lost that day though as we tried to get home. Within 9 minutes after the cancelation we very quickly got help from Southwest gate agents, we had been re-booked to a flight that was already boarding, were whisked away by a man driving fast on an electric cart to our new gate in another terminal and were on the plane heading home. Its always important to have a plan and know who you can lean on for help like we did with the Southwest gate agents and cart driver that helped us get home that day.

From a real life perspective

Like with travel when thing go bad and even when we lose the ones we love we have to lean on others to help us through the pain and disappointment that we go through. For me I lean on my wife, family and friends for support when times are bad. Know that whatever you are going through you are not alone and have people along your journey that are there for you and can help get through the tough times in life. For me God is always there for me to pray to and guide me through situations that seem to be impossible to get through.

Yesterday (July 26th) we buried my last remaining grandparent on what would have been her birthday. A good friend and minister Tico Montoya delivered a great story from a travel experience my grandmother had. While at Disneyland my grandmother found out that she had lost a watch that meant a lot to her. She was determined to walk all of Disneyland to find that watch with my grandfather. My grandfather told her “You would have about as much chance of finding the watch in the cuff of my pants”. They looked down and what do you know the watch actually was in his cuff of his pants and it had been found. Nothing was going to get in between my grandmother and her finding her watch but it had always been there. As Tico explained that watch is a lot like our God. He is always there for us and nothing comes in between us and the love God has for us. No matter how dark the situation he will be there to comfort and guide.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39

In Conclusion

While I usually write strictly about travel I wanted to take a little time to try to give a bit of encouragement as I know many people out there are hurting and going through very difficult situations. Know that where ever you are and whatever you are dealing with you have people that can help you and a loving God that will be there for you no matter what you might be going through and no matter where you are in the world.