Finding Gratitude in the Luxury That I Took for Granted

I feel like one of the luckiest girls in the world. As I sat on a boat off the coast of an island in Croatia with 11 new friends from my hostel I couldn’t help but thank God/The Universe for such a blessing. What a privilege it is to get to travel and see the world.

Some of my favorite days are spent on the water. Snorkeling, swimming, and boating takes me back to my childhood of those hot Texas summers spent boating on the lake. I have my parents to thank for those memories and for igniting this spark in me to travel the world. It’s because of their desire to have us see the world and have the best childhood possible that I get to float in the turquoise waters of Croatia and sit in this plane seat as I write on my way to Greece.

As we took a break from hostels in Budapest with one night in a hotel it gave me the realization that hotels really are a luxury. When backpacking we usually always stay in hostels which are for budget travelers. Travel in general is a luxury, but staying in that hotel gave me a whole new sense of gratitude for all my travels as a child. The sacrifices my parents made to make sure we got to travel and stay in hotels were huge. And now I can finally see that and be appreciative.

So as I swam with the fish and tanned on that boat I couldn’t help but feel a flood of gratitude for this life. I’ve had the privilege to travel to almost 25 countries now. More than what most can say. I will always cherish these memories. All the way to the grave because I would rather be broke in my 20s with stories to tell for years than full of regret in my old age.