Encouragement

 Ted. We have begun to share our plans with friends and family. Reactions have been somewhat mixed and questions invariably arise. “Aren’t you keeping an apartment to come home to?” Are you buying a motorhome?” “When will you see your grandchildren?” 

Finally, the time was right for me to share our vision with my father. Raised in a Depression era immigrant family, he has always been financially conservative. Yet, my parents treasured their trips to countries throughout the world so I wasn’t sure how he would react.

Last week, Dad and I returned to a place that he and Mom visited often when she was alive and so it seemed right to relate our plans while we were in San Francisco. After hearing that Judy and I planned to sell everything and travel the world as long as we could, he became very quiet. At last he spoke; “When you get to the North Island of New Zealand, try the green mussels. They are excellent!”