In less than 3 weeks I am scheduled to fly to Munich, where just last week there was yet another attack. I must admit that I am a little bit fearful. I will be visiting Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany on this trip. There have been attacks in seemingly random places around Europe and who knows if, when, and where another one could occur? A couple of my clients have questioned my choice and a couple of clients have canceled their Europe plans.
On June 12th, there was a mass shooting right here in my hometown. At Pulse nightclub, not 5 miles from my house, 49 people were killed and another 53 were injured. Since that tragic day it seems like there is another news story every other day or so, where people have been killed, both in the States and abroad.
But none of these things will stop me. On the contrary.
Life is short. While I am here I intend to live fully and experience all I can. I have worked very hard to earn opportunities to fulfill my passions, and I won't give them up out of fear. People do risky things all the time. Sky diving, cliff diving, scuba diving....apparently any kind of diving. People attempt to summit Mt. Everest, knowing that once they reach a certain point their body starts dying. While I would never do any of those things, I will be sure to feed my eyeballs with as much majestic scenery as I can get access to. I will feed my mind and soul with the experience of as many cultures as I am allowed. I will smell the smells and taste the flavors and hear the sounds of every place I am blessed to visit.
I will be a cautious traveler - I will use common sense. I will not go to any festivals, sporting events or malls. Although I love mass transit, I will use it only when necessary. I will be vigilant about the safety of myself and my mother (who is traveling with me) - But I will continue to be a traveler.
I wrote this post for myself, with no plan to publish it, as a way to express and release my thoughts and fears. But I decided to share it just in case it resonates with any of you. During my trip I will be posting frequently on our Facebook page if you would like to follow my travels. I will be traveling on a Uniworld Boutique river cruise from Budapest to Passau, with one extra night in Munich and Budapest. See you soon!
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