Photo albums provide a rewarding way to record the destinations we travel…
…as many of us who enjoy taking vacation snapshots know. Our photos become souvenirs, reminding us that we have left our footprints on a distinct place in the world, in a particular moment in time. Our photos can stir our memories, evoking happy feelings and a sense of connection, as we reminisce about the journey. They give us a way to document our experiences and recall them instantly.
But what if we’re doing it all wrong?
A 100th-Day project got me thinking…
At our school, like many schools throughout the U.S., students celebrate the one-hundredth day of school. They participate in special activities and create 100th-day projects with their parents. The activities and projects focus on the number 100, encouraging students to conceptualize the quantity of 100. This year one of our first graders (with a lot of help from mom and dad) submitted an “Adventure Book”. Employing Google Earth, our student and her parents printed one hundred photos of famous locations from around the world; places that she hopes to travel to one day. She affixed her photos in two Hello Kitty photo albums, numbering them from 1 to 100. Many of the locations are instantly recognizable, either for their man-made landmarks or their natural beauty. Her collection of photos is visually stimulating and inspiring.
Our student has traveled to a few of these locations, and was excited to point them out to us. For me, it is a thrill to see a photo of a place where I have been, to say “I’ve been there!”. By her example, our first-grader got me thinking about creating an Adventure Book of my own – a collection of places to where I hope travel someday. Seeing my travel goals in a book could serve to remind me of two things: first, that there is so much of the world I can look forward to experiencing, and second, that my concept of home can extend beyond the borders of my home base. This idea reminds me of the title of author (and traveler) James Michener‘s memoir, The World is My Home. I like thinking that the entire world can be my home. There is so much to explore and, while I may not get to discover it all, I can hope to broaden my horizons and enrich my human experience. Life is, after all, an adventure, and traveling a means to participating in it.
So here’s an idea: maybe I will keep two adventure books. One will be for the places I dream to see (should I start with 100?), and the other will be for the photos I take when I realize those dreams. Let the adventure begin!
Simple Pleasures 