One of the intentions of creating the North American Travel Scholarship was to experience unforgettable moments with our Grands. But rather than take them on a trip we would like to make, the scholarship application requires the Grand to select not only where they want to go but what they want to do once they get there. As you can imagine, this has led to many unique experiences!
With the perspective of four trips I can say that one of the most profound blessings to come from each trip has been the time engaged in activities that they had dreamed of doing. The spirit of this is captured in the movie Yes Day in which children dictate the activities of an entire day spent with their parents.
My husband and I would have never planned a trip to the Arctic Circle in January, snorkled off the coast of several Hawaiian islands, ice fished, hunted for python in the Florida Everglades, nor gone deep sea fishing. But we did all of these things and more. And with each new experience something wonderful happened – we helped our Grands to share a part of themselves with us and in return we experienced the profound joy of knowing them more deeply and helping them to realize a dream come true.
To see the excitement and delight in our Grands’ eyes as they snagged their first shark, were startled by a large eel emerging from behind coral, rolled out the dough in a pastry baking class, or stood in boxer shorts at the Arctic Circle were memorable moments for both them and us.
And, as we shared those moments, I discovered the wonder of dog sledding, the adventure of snorkeling, the amazement at catching a 20lb plus grouper and two sharks, and countless other experiences that have enriched my life.
As the trip planner I was able to take the wishes of our Grands and “de-risk” the travel by hiring expert guides and arranging for stress-free logistics. Some would say this is great teamwork, taking the Grands travel dreams and applying adult planning capabilities. But I say this is what allows you to say “Yes!” to each and every Grand’s travel dream.
Mary Beth I have a passion for creating and experiencing unforgettable moments and sharing those with others. I hope that this story has helped you experience one of those moments.
