It was a charter flight from JFK in New York to Taormina in Sicily, by way of Rome. We had found the cheap flight through a discount travel agency and quickly scooped it up. Our return flight was fifteen days later from Paris, and we had made no hotel arrangements or travel plans within Europe. Passports and backpacks tucked away, we settled into our seats with one carry on stowed securely in the bin above. When we landed in Rome we quickly grabbed our skimpy travel bags and exited to our intended destination, the Eternal City. Until that time I had never been outside of North America and as we stepped onto the street I was mesmerized at the meshing of ancient with the modern. After securing a room in a ragged pensione, we stashed our bags and headed to the Coliseum. The line to enter was short and we quickly made our way to the upper level to observe the vastness of what was once the Roman Empire’s recreational center. As I surveyed the grandeur of the ancient crafted stadium, I thought of my father and how much he would have enjoyed standing where I was, viewing the greatness of this now monument to an empire past. Tears of joy filled my eyes as I whispered; “this is for you, Dad.” The next fourteen days were filled with many more first adventures, each one embraced with a heart of thankfulness for the blessing of experiencing those places and things about which I had only read. There were challenges to getting there and there were challenges in navigating the way through, but perseverance and action toward the goal rendered a cornucopia of memories to last a lifetime. Aches and pains, stiffness and uncontrollable movements present their challenges, but I have learned that perseverance and action toward the goal of healthy living yields a harvest of opportunities far greater than the impediments. Today, thankfulness is the fuel that drives the engine of the vehicle called life!
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