thanksginving

It’s more than a bit odd to be in a place where there is not even a whiff of the Thanksgiving holiday, which I find hard to believe is the day after tomorrow.  As we experience the subtle change of seasons here in Porto,  we are thinking of those we love most and missing them.  It’s bittersweet.

Thanksgiving
Playing with the panoramic feature – Porto!
Think Instead of What We’ve Learned

Last Thanksgiving, I wrote a post titled, Think Instead of What We’ve Learned, which was in reference to a news panelist discussion of the 2016 presidential election results.  I reread my post this morning and I think the topic of what we’ve learned is even more relevant today than it was then.  I have learned so much in the past year, not only about myself but about those who live in the world at large.

My world – as I knew it – came to a screeching halt last year and it took months for my head to stop reeling.  As a result of the cataclysmic shift in my world I’ve become somewhat of an activist which started with marching on Washington, DC on January 21, 2016 and the fire to make a difference burns brightly.

We’ve been traveling throughout Europe for the past five months and as we explored the wonders and beauty of nine countries, we also visited powerful memorials such as the Berlin Wall in Berlin and the Shoe Memorial in Budapest.  What we took away from those – and many other experiences – was the knowledge that history seemingly continues to repeat itself.  Why is it that there are millions among us who remain stuck in a mindset and unable to move forward?

  • “It is not worth while to try to keep history from repeating itself, for man’s character will always make the preventing of the repetitions impossible.”  Mark Twain
Lessons Learned

As we witnessed these places and the stories told, we took those lessons to heart.  And, I suppose those lessons will continue to fuel the fire of activism within.  But, there have been wonderful lessons learned as well this past year.  Beautiful places and beautiful people live in this vast world of ours. There are incredibly kind and open-minded people, we just have to go out and find them. Yes, there are cranky people too, but hell, you can find them in your own neighborhood. Right? The beauty of our planet is awe-inspiring in places such as Lake Bled, Slovenia and the majestic mountains surrounding Salzburg, Austria. I really find it difficult to find the right words in trying to describe the Alps, or Lake Mondsee in Austria, or the Danube River, or…  They have to be seen to be believed.

The Thanksgiving Holiday

The biggest lessons to be learned are those we have to experience.  This is what I take away from each and every new adventure.  This is what I’m holding on to as we watch the Thanksgiving holiday quietly pass by this year.  This in itself is a lesson because the world is HUGE, the world is diverse, and guess what? Not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving and that’s a good thing!

thanksginving

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