Wanderlust

A couple months ago, I watched “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” with my granddaughter. It’s literally like my 5th time seeing it. If you’ve seen it, you know its appeal. If you haven’t, you’re seriously missing out. Walter Mitty, who normally escapes the mundane reality of his tedious, boring life through day dreams, sets out on a real life adventure searching for a photographer and an elusive negative.

He finds himself trekking across the globe in places I’ve only dreamed of exploring. A small Icelandic fishing village surrounded by sweeping green landscapes and an erupting volcano. Migrating seabirds flying overhead past a lighthouse set atop a rocky shore. Greenland, Afghanistan...

As we were watching the scene where he’s trekking through high winds atop the jagged narrow peaks of the Himalayas, frost sticking to his beard, half frozen, I am just awe struck and completely overcome by my wanderlust.

I tell her, “THAT’S what I’m gonna be doing soon, quit my job and explore the world and all its beauty. Travel to the middle of nowhere for months at a time.” She just gives me this look, “no grandma that’s dangerous! You’re NOT doing that!” I replied, “don’t worry, grandpa will be with me! That’s our dream!” She slowly turned her head, daggers in her eyes, a very serious stern look on her little face and in the most adult-like voice she could muster, she sarcastically belted out, “Oh great. Now I feel MUCH better! That’s just what I need... worrying about TWO old people in the middle of nowhere! Real smart grandma, real smart!” Gotta love that she totally sees me as a helpless little old lady!