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ADVENTURE BY AMANDA ASHLEY I PHOTOS BY BEAUYEAH.COM
There is no greater adventure than life itself. Locally or abroad, the opportunity to spread your wings, to connect with new people and places, to explore and to reconnect with yourself awaits. Early in my life, my mother instilled the beauty and significance of travel. A part time travel agent for as long as I could remember, (and still to this day even in retirement) she and I shared experiences that I’ll forever cherish and be grateful for. Throughout my youth, we’d spend nearly the entire month of August traveling together.
fullest, and to provide herself and her family with the rich experiences that she was never granted in her youth. With every journey, I’d get to learn and see my mother for the woman she truly is. She was happy, free, and adventurous. She had a willingness to learn, and an agenda to take in all of her new surroundings. As a child, I couldn’t understand the drastic difference in her demeanor. As an adult now, I understand
On a big map, she’d circle and highlight the places of interest, and would collect brochures and magnets from each place we visited. We traveled by Amtrack, car, plane, and cruise ships, and each destination was packed with history, a taste of the culture, good food, and exploring new territory. My mother’s greatest splurge in life has always been her vacations. Her worldly interest developed in her early years growing up in the Bronx, as the eldest of four girls. The responsibility of her three younger sisters often fell on her shoulders, and limited resources kept them from exploring life beyond the concrete jungle of New York City. Becoming a travel agent was her one way ticket to experience life at its 120
ROCHESTER WOMAN ONLINE : JULY EDITION 2021
spread thin with time and commitments; I remember thinking my life was over when I first became aware of my pregnancy. I never envisioned myself as a mother, and once vowed to never become one. Motherhood seemed like a wrecking ball to my dreams; limitations, restrictions, time consuming and not very cost effective. I couldn’t fathom how a child was going to fit into my life. I candidly write this, as I know there are many other women out there who fear and think the same as I once did. I will tell you first hand, that yes, life certainly is not the same, but for other reasons than those listed above. Naturally as we progress through life (and more than once) we’ll experience a shift that’ll require a concerted effort to not allow ourselves to be entirely thrown off course.
Life can weigh heavy, and our responsibilities thicken as we grow. That caged bird within is released when we feel alleviated of our everyday stress, and allow ourselves to explore with fresh eyes, and an invigorated spirit.
Just as the pandemic has taught us all, life can change in an instant. It all always boils down to two things; our choices and decisions. Deciding what’s important to you, and knowing what is detrimental to your mental health and overall wellbeing is the first and most important self assessment to make.
Career and travel obsessed, and already
What makes you feel whole, and what
more than ever.
