8 Things I Learned in the UK
I've been home for a week now. The jet lag has gone, the bags are unpacked (although the laundry has yet to be done...), and normal life has resumed. The trip is nearly always on my mind and I've spent a great deal of time thinking about everything I did and saw. All of this thinking has led to a few conclusions about the world and I thought I'd share with you some of the life lessons I learned (or had driven home) while I was away.
1. There are lots of good people in the world. Before this trip, I was afraid of meeting people. Countless episodes of Criminal Minds had me afraid that all people are murderous, scary, bad people. Newsflash: Criminal Minds is just a show. The reality is that there are so many good people in the world. People who want to make sure that others happy, safe, and taken care of. This trip taught me that yes, there are people in the world who are not good, but there are way more people that are good, and the fear of meeting the not-so-good shouldn’t stop you from getting the opportunity to mingle with the good. Does the word "good" sound weird to anyone yet?
2. Bad things happen to good people. I learned a lot on this trip about other people and the struggles they’ve gone through. It was a huge reminder that no matter how nice or kind or caring or good you are, it doesn’t make you exempt from crappy things happening to you.
3. The world is a really beautiful place. I was constantly blown away by how much beauty I saw on this trip - both just in nature and the man made stuff.
4. Life doesn’t come to a halt while you’re on vacation. Even though I was taking a break from real life, the rest of the world just kept going on. So many people went through so many terrible things while I was away - death, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters all happened while I was gallivanting around the UK. It really drove home the next point...
5. I have so much to be thankful for. Just read the last few entries if you need more of an explanation!
6. I can sleep pretty much anywhere. On planes, trains, in the back of cars, on the floor, and in a bed. If I’m somewhere that I can close my eyes, I’m somewhere that I can sleep.
7. Fun things can happen when you say “yes.” There were a few things that I didn’t think I wanted to do, usually out of fear, but that I said yes to doing anyway. I’m sure glad I did because not one bad thing came of any of them.
8. I CAN DO IT! There were a lot of people who helped me make this trip happen and I know that without them my trip would have been very different and probably nonexistent. That being said, I did it! I went on my own to a place really far away from all of my people, all of my things, and everything that is so familiar to me, and I had a great time! I figured things out as I had to, I problem solved when necessary, and I calmed myself down when I got stressed or anxious. This was a huge trip for me if for no other reason than to prove to myself that I can do things.
I know I’ve said it so many times in previous posts, but THANK YOU to all of the people who helped make this trip all that it was. I will be forever grateful.