Many of us have visited Paris and cities of Europe. We have family and friends who live in American large cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and other major urban centers.
We have eaten in their restaurants, driven their streets, slept in their hotels, visited their gardens, boated rivers and flown to and from their airports.
Not so long ago visiting places away from home was an adventure, a quest, and something special allowing us to experience other cultures, people and landscapes.
For years we traveled without concern for our safety and the welfare of our hosts. Planning and looking forward to new places was exciting.
It's sad to think about the world as different now but it's difficult to ignore recent tragedies. As our families gather during the holiday season we must consider recent events.
Although we may not be able to travel in the carefree ways we once did, we need to have faith that our world, though changed, can still be appreciated. I hope we can continue to visit and enjoy travel and exploration in spite of these changes.
“I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.” — Hermann Hesse
Best wishes for all.