Did you know that yesterday was not only the first day of Spring, but it was also World Storytelling Day? It is celebrated every year on the Spring Equinox and meant to bring people together as they share stories. Honestly I hadn’t heard of World Storytelling Day before last week, but I do like the idea that in sharing our stories that we have the potential to build friendships and break down cultural barriers. I think it’s a natural fit for travelers, don’t you?
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” -Ibn Battuta We venture out to see the World and come home with stories to tell anyone who will listen. It’s these memories and stories that help shape who we are and who we will become. When we are young, vacations allow us to bring to reality the places we’ve learned about in the classroom. It helps children recognize that we share more similarities than differences. As we age, vacations have the potential to bring us back to our youth. Have you considered traveling with your children or grandchildren to spots you visited when you were their age? Think of the stories you’ll be able to share!
We have all talked to someone who has taken a trip that ended up being life changing for them. We get wrapped up in their story and transported to the destination they are describing. Many of us can close our eyes and picture our favorite destination. Whether it was a recent trip, or one from your childhood the memories can be quite vivid. One of my favorite trips as a child was visiting Yellowstone National Park with my parents and grandparents. I remember the excitement on my brother’s face as my parents told him, at the airport, that we weren’t just dropping Grandma and Grandad off, we were going with them. We flew into Billings, Montana and piled into a rented “family truckster” and set off for adventure. I remember the beauty of the park, the smell of the sulphur springs, the magic of Old Faithful, and closing my fingers in the car door at a scenic overlook!
The first time my daughter visited Europe and Northern Africa she was only 2 1/2 years old. Many people told us she was too young to travel and that she would never remember the trip, that we were wasting our time and money. They honestly couldn’t have been more wrong. We still talk about that trip as a family. We remember seeing the awe on her face as she stared at the oculus in the Pantheon and the pure joy as she danced after riding a camel. She loves to see the photos and recount the experiences. My husband and I will always cherish the memories we made during that trip, even while our daughter slept in the stroller as we navigated Pisa.
What stories will your family share in the years to come? Will they involve tales from your summer vacation? Are you worried that your children won’t remember the stories from these summer vacations? Click here and read my blog post about keeping your vacation memories alive once you return home.
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