Grandma always wanted to see America. A long time ago she read about streets of gold, bright lights everywhere and cool, clean water right at one’s fingertips. She heard from people who had been there about being able to find anything you wanted or needed whenever you wanted it. Everyone there has money, everyone there is big, healthy and happy. Movie stars, “the Big Screen”, Hollywood…
Grandma had talked about it for the better part of my life and now, with her at 75 and me at 37, it was time for her to finally see it.
We got on the plane with my two cousins at around 4:30 pm. None of us spoke a word of English but we had a Google Translator and a solid sense of hope.
Hope that people would be forgiving and kind.
The main goal was to show Grandma that golden land before she died. This was my ultimate gift to my Grandmother. We were all very excited. I think we talked the entire flight.
We landed at Los Angeles International Airport and our real journey began…
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The above story is pure fiction. I made it up. The point is; to have you imagine that you are the person taking their Grandmother on her last trip to a place she has always wanted to go.
You don’t speak the language. You don’t know much beyond travel guides about the place. Neither does anyone in your party, but the look on Grandma’s face is more than enough motivation.
People want to see other lands. They want to experience other cultures and learn about other people. They want to go there, say they went there. They want to physically, as a human biped walk the streets of the place, place their feet on the ground, smell the air there and know it exists, it’s real.
People should be able to do this. People should be able to use our Earth for more than “resources”. They should visit the beautiful places on it and benefit from the beauty and different things found throughout. The Earth has given itself to all of us. We should be able to travel it and see things without being abused by our fellow humans for whatever reasons.
Be kind to strangers in strange lands. Try to realize that they do not speak the language. They are relying on trust, faith and hope. It is with the eyes of children that humans visit foreign lands and here is yet another area of life where we need each other. Desperately.
Can we still rely on each other? Even if I don’t speak your language I can try to read the emotions in your eyes and on your face. At least to try…
We are ambassadors to our countries. Show the world your best side.
Happy New Years Loves!! Here comes 2018!
B.