30/30: Oh the Places You'll Go!

Sometimes God laughs at us. Of this I am certain. Back in December I wrote out a list of prompts to use in what I called the 30/30 Vision Blog Challenge. My hope was that other bloggers would play along and a group of us would be writing along for 30 weeks on the same topic each Friday. Turns out the group of bloggers is...ME! But I have continued on. So after a rather hectic week I finally got around to looking at the prompt for today, and it was this- If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? Now when I first wrote that prompt, I was thinking I would write about Italy or Ireland or some exotic locale I had never visited. It should have been a fairly easy post to write. But I suddenly find myself actually able to travel after 7 years mostly stuck in Tampa- and that changes everything! For me, this post is now more about "Where do I want to go AGAIN?" And while very exciting for me to think about, it also makes it that much more difficult to write the post. But I shall!

Everyone knows that I am anxious to make a triumphant return to Walt Disney World, but it's close by and that is going to happen, so I'll eliminate it. The same is true for North Carolina- so many old friends to see and favorite places to visit, but that is going to happen in the next few months, as will a return to Myrtle Beach- quite possibly on the same trip! I love Chicago and would love to return there someday, but that isn't the top of my list either. Nashville is one of my favorite places, and I have old friends there and some Twitter buddies I would love to meet. So many options...

There are also a few places I haven't been that still come to mind. I have a standing invitation to visit Hawaii from an old friend with guest house on the beach in Kuai. IF this list were about who I want to go see and not just the location, then Fort Worth would be very high on my list. Sure, seeing Teresa Tysinger and meeting Jason Huffman would be cool, but it's really Emma Grace Tysinger that is the draw there. I can't wait to meet that little dynamo! And after years and years of joking about them, I have still never been to Butte, Montana or Casper, Wyoming. I'm just saying...

But in the end, the list comes down to two places. One is a real long shot. There seems to be little reason to believe life will ever take me back to Spanish Wells (a small island in the Bahamas) for a third time. But a man can dream, and I have more reasons to want to go back than you can possibly imagine. The other is New York City. I have so many great memories of so many adventures, and it's been 10 years since I was there. I know the city has changed a great deal in that time, but there are still Broadway shows, there are still amazing things to do, and there is still Carmine's. I do love NYC. And Will has never been with me. It's something that need to happen.

So what's my pick?  Right now, honestly, I just choose to GO. I can't wait to drive across the bridge to Clearwater or go to a Rays game without having to ask permission. I look forward to visiting my mom more often and seeing Marilyn's family again. There is a weekend with the Hanbery family in our future. I want go anywhere and everywhere. I don't know where the road will take me- and I don't know what the first big trip might be yet. I just know I am feeling blessed and ready to go. And sometimes you simply need to just GO!  As Dr. Seuss wrote in that amazing little book: 

“You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So... get on your way!” 
- Oh, the Places You'll Go!

 So get your guest rooms ready, my friends. Hurricane Carl may blow through your town at any moment. Have a great Friday!

Because of Jesus,