My cousin, Hayley, maintains a long bucket list in her iPhone, complete with links and pictures. It’s mostly nature destinations and phenomena: this Iceland waterfall and that Arizona rock formation and that bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico, and, and, and...
Near the top of her list, for as long as I can remember:
See the northern lights
I, too, have always wanted to see the aurora. I’ve been captivated by its shimmering, otherworldly images my whole life. Aren’t we all? But for some reason I never sought out the when-where-and-how specifics.
Someday, I thought, and went on with my life.
Why didn’t I pursue a hope so dear to me? Oh, you know, things got busy and it’s easier to prioritize surer things. But some part of me worries I didn’t pursue it because the hope was so dear. Lowering expectations is sneaky protection against the vulnerability of a big dream.
On our decade birthdays, Hayley, her sister, Leslee, and I celebrate with a trip. Leslee t…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Parent of Adults to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.