I was reflecting earlier how the size of my “world” has changed over time.

When I was an infant, I didn’t know of a world beyond my crib. But as I got older, the world got bigger. While I have memories of going between Storrs and Falls Village CT, I think my first realization of a bigger world was when I followed some older boys in the housing complex in Storrs and ended up lost (I suspect they probably ditched me since who wants the 4yo following them around and ruining your fun when you’re 8 years old.) That ended up with a happy ending as a stranger found me and quite literally drove around asking if I recognized my apartment building. Apparently I did. I can’t imagine that scenario playing out today. That said, well before I can remember, my parents did do a trial move to California, but I don’t count that in my awareness, though I have a vague memory of me brushing my teeth while sitting on the tailgate of the Scout which I suspect was from one of the early road trips my dad and mom did.

When I was a bit older, I recall going to New York City with my parents and being confused because somehow I had gotten the idea that a city was bigger than a state and couldn’t figure out how New York City could be IN New York State. But even then, my world consisted mostly of trips to New Haven, CT to see my paternal grandparents and Bennington VT to see my maternal ones. And then there was the occasional trip to Boston to see my aunt and uncle (technically half-aunt, but there was never anything half about Aunt Sue).

At one point, I want to say when I was seven or so, I know I did a trip with my parents to Cape Code and to Bar Harbor ME. My world was getting bigger.

A few years later, a very different trip to Bar Harbor and then the Cape. That ended well but didn’t start so well.

Then a few years after that my world jumped in size. My dad and his then girlfriend and her daughter (four years my junior) and I travelled first to the Grand Canyon and Havasu Canyon. Suddenly I was outside the comfort of the northeast. And I loved it.

There were a few trips to Florida in there too, including my first time flying alone.

A few years after that I went to St. Croix USVI with my dad. My first long flight over water.

Years later I accompanied my paternal grandmother (my grandfather having passed on years previously) to the UK for my cousin’s wedding. Again, my world had expanded.

The NCRC has also helped expand my world due to having training all over the country.

And over the years, including this one, I have been back to the Grand Canyon three times since and have with the family seen much of the west coast, the Rockies and more.

And pre-Covid, the family and I visited the UK, France, and Belgium. My world continued to grow.

Going forward, I’m sure I’ll see more of the world.

And yet, in some ways, my world has shrunk and for a sad reason.

Other than a couple of brief trips to or through, I haven’t been to New Haven since my grandmother’s memorial.

I still go to Bennington, because my mom is there, but even then there’s a bit I don’t go to, my grandparent’s house. It’s no longer in the family since they’ve passed.

I’ll go to Boston again, but not as frequently since my aunt has died.

And I have yet to go back to Falls Village, ever since my closing out my dad’s estate. That one is just too hard, even years later.

You’ll note there’s a theme to the places I’m less likely to visit. And it’s one that I expect to become more common as I age.

So the world is bigger than ever and I’m still exploring it (as my spring road trip shows) but ironically in some ways, it’s grown a bit smaller. And that saddens me.

And so it goes.