“Travel,” my mother said to me recently over the phone, “is really one of the most important things.” I was standing, as I so often am these days, on the sidelines of a soccer field. Gabe’s team was playing in a scrimmage against other members of our town’s league. It was raining, and there was a call to cancel, but they decided to do it anyway, sliding all over the field, wet hair, laughing. A few parents had jumped in to even up the numbers.

She continued, going deep. About the importance of seeing other cultures. About how this can shape a person’s world view. Nora was departing the following day for Sicily to complete the second leg of an exchange program through her high school: we, along with a group of other local families, had hosted a Sicilian student in the spring; now Nora, along with the group of participating American students, was going to stay with that student’s family. I was on edge.

Why, though? I tried to qualify it, which is a good habit in small doses, and a bad one in big, unless you’ve got a book deal on what’s to become a modern-day philosophical best-seller (hello, I am open to book deals!) I have a history of going for the latter, exploring my feelings until I’m semi-paralyzed. I’m much better at this now, which has taken work, and includes inviting you all to read my feelings, which I hope (my constant hope) feels like a connection, and not a burden.

There were obvious reasons (my child going far away without me for the first time, etc.), although I wasn’t worried that the experience would be a negative one for her. Upon exploring, it was the opposite. I was worried she would go and then, wait a second, wouldn’t they all keep going? My children will go away. And then they’ll do it again.

My question for you is this: do the things you value the most also scare you? As in, the things you truly want for you and your loved ones? The jobs, the tasks where you, and they, might excel? The experiences?

For me, yes! And then - because the relief is so often in the doing, and not in the semi-paralysis of over-analyzed emotion - no. The minute Nora was on the plane my fears, funny enough, disappeared. It was a combo of “Well, there’s nothing you can do now,” and “GO GIRL, GO.” She had, of course, an amazing time. She told me in giggly phone calls about the ruins she saw and the chocolate biscuits she ate for breakfast.

Anyway, back to my mom, and her rhapsody on travel, delivered via phone while I stood watching soccer in the rain. In addition to her words serving as inspiration on the eve of Nora’s trip, they were inspiration for our own, too, as she and I were also going to Sicily. No, not with Nora, she would have murdered us, but this week, as it happens. My mother planned this trip with two of her friends awhile back and then they graciously invited me to join them. Sicily is a hot locale this year, FYI, as those of you who’ve seen “White Lotus” undoubtedly are aware.

I have been, once again, mildly on edge, anticipating eight days away from my family. It’s not guilt I feel. I feel supported in taking this trip, and I am thankful for that, not to mention incredibly fortunate that our family has been able to travel so much recently.

It’s more ensuring everything goes to plan. So, in the spirit of doing, J and I took pens and a datebook and went out for a beer last night where we etched out the days I’ll be away and identified where he, who works almost every day onsite at his lab, might need some help; we looked at this year’s daily schedule which is prone to last minute updates and dictated by no less than three newsletters. “And on Mondays, if Venus is in retrograde, soccer practice is not at the normal field but at a slightly different field that has no address, you have to find it using your innate sense of direction alone,” I told him. Not really, but almost!

“Travel is one of the most important things,” my mom said. I agree, but I also recognize that it’s not feasible for everyone. There are prohibitive costs, schedules and many other factors. And yet I very much appreciated what she was getting at overall: the importance of broadening one’s world.

I took a walk with a friend recently. We ended up on a road at the edge of our neighborhood that winds uphill, with unique, gorgeous homes and an excellent view at the top. We talked about how good it feels to get away…even if it’s just out of your neighborhood…and remember that the world is big. How it is comforting to feel small. And still part of it all.

A strange and lovely realization that I only remember in the action phase of this ponderous existence! Yes, mom, travel, even the micro-version, is one of the most important things.

I thought that I’d attempt to explore these feelings and the undoubtedly memorable experiences ahead by writing some posts about my trip while I’m in there. (I do know it’s modern times and there is social media, and that we are not, and have not been for some time, in the heyday of blogs, but I feel most comfortable in the early 2000s internet era).

I will see you there, here. And for a walk, or philosophical phone call, anytime.