9.9.11

loving life...

travel...
a gift from us to our children...


& i'm not talkin' about endless trip to paris here people...
i'm talking about travelling outside of that part of the world that makes up your everyday...


that street...

that village...

that suburb...

that city...


that county...

that town...

&

yes, that country...


embrace all that life offers...
the big & the small...


i often reflect on our life here in the english countryside...

the day-to-day of it...

yes, so different to our life on the australian beaches...

but still...

we've been here long enough to just have the day-to-day now...


the everyday of english life...

no big city...

no local beach...

no traffic...

no family...

but oh some many other incredible blessings...


lotsa other things that make up the everyday...

forever friendships...

school...

work...


bills...

life...you know the drill...


so...my thoughts fall to travel of all kinds...
big & small...


another village brings a fresh outlook...

another city new excitement...

an undiscovered local street becomes a breath of fresh air...

you don't need to get on a plane...to travel...




every new experience is a new place...

it makes us more receptive to people...change...& life...

i admit there is nothing like a week away from everyday living to make us smile, feel refreshed & maybe a little nicer to everyone...

but still...the small discoveries can bring a small moment of that same feeling to our everyday...

i thank my kids for this reminder...

this week they all returned to their english schools...

sandy-toed, beach-reared aussie kids discovering a new year in an english country school...

their excitement was no less than the first day we walked them through unknown doors, three & a half years ago...

their faces older...their world fuller...their parents prouder...


so...this week, whilst i seem to have endless questions about the *greater picture* of our life swirling round my head...


i'm going to walk a little springier...

i'm going to stop & take it all in a little more...

the big & the small...

& embrace all the travel...

the other places...& those on my doorstep in my own little english town...



a little reminder of the beauty of travel
of the good things in life
big & small
~~~
travel of all kinds

melissa
xox


11 comments:

  1. You are sooooo right. Just our little 2 day jaunt to the mountains during the hurricane made us remember how important it is to just get in the car and discover new places and people. That's all it takes. No big $$ needed.

    Gorgeous pictures! I am especially in love with the one of your family looking out over those rolling fields. Breathtaking!

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  2. Great photos Melissa...your children are gorgeous and obviously little characters. I love your positive attitude to living here in England...it's much like mine...we can't help but be excited, overwhelmed, awed and just plain lucky to be experiencing all of this. The locals here love it when I wax lyrical about their country...as they can tend to be a bit negative regarding the weather, economy etc...but by the time I'm finished with them, they are perhaps looking at things a little differently (at least for a second or two). Robx

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  3. Love this. It's so true. Having a routine, an "everyday life", is important, if only so we can break out of it every now and then. Big adventures like a trip to Paris, and small trips to a local beach, or a new experience like canoeing or flying a kite...

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  4. I love this post Melissa. Thank you for the reminder. Makes me realize it's been too long since we've gotten out of the daily ho hum. When I homeschooled we went places all the time, even if it was just to visit the s.f asian market, it was an adventure and it was living. The only thing that ever hinders us is my husbands job and money. Sometimes my husband gets so lost in work work work that he forgets to live. I need to get him out and about. ox Kerrie

    P.S I like how you included the part about travel can cause us to be a little nicer. So true.

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  5. Great photo's, great post!
    Love your way of thinking Melissa, I too love the little things in life but sometimes I seem to forget that it's right on our doorstep.

    Maureen xx

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  6. I really love this post, your attitude and enthusiasm are such a gift to your children :) X

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  7. Gorgeous writing and images Melissa. How blessed your children are...I'm sure your attitude is infectious:) What's that saying "The little things ARE the big things?". Hard to remember that in the midst of the daily grind sometimes, but it really is attitude that makes the difference, as you've so beautifully shown. Thanks for the encouragment! Meredy xo

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  8. As usual you always move me with your writing, you do have such a wonderful and positive attitude to life Melissa :)... and I just love the last photo of your little ones, so funny! x

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  9. melissa- you are so right, although i would love to be taking my kids all over the world, too, instead we do what we can now and even the little things are big to the kids (and us). thank you for being an inspiration to all of us, friend. gorgeous pictures...gorgeous children!

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  10. An insightful and reflective post, Miss Melissa. My, your kiddos are so lucky to have you as their mum. J x

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  11. this post speaks to me...i love to press outside the bounds of our geographic every day life, and it reminds me too how i love to press out of the intellectual and emotional places of familiarity, teach my children about the things of life that are foreign to them, and watch them grow and learn.

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Thanks for taking a moment...x

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