Lessons Learned After 365 Days Abroad: Goodbyes and What They Teach Us

I traveled to 26 countries in the last year. That’s a whopping 30+ flights with repeat trips to Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain and Germany. All that bouncing around has led to saying goodbye frequently and often times, far before I’m ready to move on. So many goodbyes, I couldn’t even begin to count.

26 coutnries, 30+ flights and endless goodbyes…

Some goodbyes are lighter with a hug and a loving, “Hope to see you again sometime.” Some are harder- with a squeeze and a sad acceptance that as much as we are grateful to have met- this is probably goodbye for good. (Our taxi driver in Bali who wound up spending two days with us, my hosts in North Carolina who took me in like family, the older Australia couple in Indonesia who inspired us with their sense of youth, adventure and passion.)

And then there are those that you desperately hope life will bring back to you.

From romances on the road to new best friends, these people completely knock you off your feet and shake up your life. People who you instantly have such a connection with it makes you start to wonder if you somehow knew them in a past life? Is that… possible? It sure feels like it. Because how is it I can spend one day in Istanbul with a girl I’ve only just met and feel like I’ve known her my whole life? Only to share a sad goodbye full of promises to visit. All while thinking, “I’ve got to see her again, I’ve got to.”

Some of these amazing, incredible people I have been able to see again. I never thought I would spend so much time in Poland this year but surprise! Change of plans. Some people you just can’t leave behind.

It’s one of those precious life lessons that travel reminds us of over and over again.

Everything is temporary.

Whether you travel or not…

Your job: temporary.

Your relationship: temporary.

Your life: temporary.

No matter how much you spend your days tricking yourself into believing that the amount of time we have on earth is limitless, the truth is, our time on earth is in fact just the opposite- limited.

Very limited indeed.

With the ever changing status of my life, I feel more acutely aware of that than ever before. This could be cause for sadness but more so, I see it as a reason for deep appreciation. I’m so incredibly aware of my mortality (morbid, I know but hear me out!) that it helps me to live every single day to the fullest. I’m aware when you say goodbye to someone, you full well may never see them again.

Now that’s the truth with anyone of course- your parents, your best friend, your roommate. But for some reason when people are in constant close proximity with us, we tend to take them for granted. We don’t realize our days with them are numbered. Even if we spend every waking second together, our days with them are still ultimately numbered.

It seems like a simple truth. And it is. But it will change your life when you really feel the weight of it.

Our time here is limited.

I saw a quote the other day that read “Stop acting as if you’ll live twice.” And I haven’t quite been able to shake it.

This might be the only time you get to spend with a person, so appreciate it fully and completely. Celebrate them. And don’t for a second think of wasting your time with apathy. I can’t imagine anything worse than looking back on my life and realizing I never fully woke up and instead, took precious people for granted.

So I’ll keep tumbling into love, joy, happiness and connecting with people from every walk of life, from every country of the world- appreciating that my time with them will always be indescribably special and heartbreakingly temporary.

If we’ve crossed paths at any point during my travels, thank you. Thank you for sharing some of your limited days with me.

And let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Keep reading: 10 THINGS TRAVELING SOLO HAS TAUGHT ME & MY BEST TRAVEL MEMORIES OF 2018

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