Are you experiencing all life has to offer?

From 2009 to 2012, my husband and I had the incredible opportunity to live in Sicily, Italy.

This was the view from our home.

I remember the excitement as we prepared for this adventure. I remember my husband asking, “Do you want to live on base or out in town?” Without hesitation, “In town. If we’re going to live in Italy, I want to live in Italy.”

And so we set off. Our little family of 3, with baby #2 on the way.

There was no fear or anxiety around this adventure, I knew it would all be amazing. When we arrived, we spent the first few weeks in a military lodge while we “house hunted” and met an amazing family. They have us great wisdom: Make a list of places you want to see and then plan some each year.

And so, our first year we visited different parts of the island.

Our second year, we took a road trip through main land Italy- Rome, Pisa, Milan, Florence, etc.

Our third and final year, we visited Spain, Germany, London, France, and took a Mediterranean cruise.

It was all incredible and only possible because of our intention around the short time we lived abroad. We were more fortunate than many others we knew that were stationed there. Many other people simply experienced living on foreign soil. They got “stuck” in what we termed the triangle- 3 military locations that made up the whole base consisting of - “work, home, and grocery shopping”. Many people saw very little of Italy, let alone Europe.

For me, that felt like a complete waste, and yet this kind of unintentional living happens all the time. Whether we live abroad or in the same place we grew up- we can spend a lot of time just going through the motions. Work/life, rinse, and repeat.

This feels soul sucking to me on all levels and I refuse to buy into a life where one looks forward to just the weekends.

Life is meant to be experienced.

Are you experiencing all life has to offer you??