What makes you feel alive?

The U.S. issued another terror alert today to travelers going to Europe this summer. It basically reads, be scared wherever you go. Here's the deal. If I really thought about all the bad things that could happen to me on a daily basis I would never leave my apartment. Some people are like that. It's called having agoraphobia.

I refuse to be that way. I refuse to live in fear of what might happen. I try to live my life in gratitude for all I have been so lucky to have been given and in anticipation for all the great things I still will have a chance to experience.

Why am I still so psyched to go to Europe? Why is it still so so important to me?
Even before I had the travel bug officially, I remember that Paris was the very first place that I ever heard about and saw pictures of and just knew that I had to see it. It seemed so magical. I have to go and see the world. I have to know what life is like outside my little bubble, outside my city, and outside my country. I want to see history and walk on land that has seen so much. I want to experience different cultures and meet new people and see what makes us different and what makes us the same.

If we stop traveling and stop living our lives and sharing love and excitement and hope with others, the terrorists have gotten exactly what they wanted. I won't not visit New York, I won't refuse to run another race one day, I won't stop going to movies or shopping malls or my job in a school. And I won't let five-year-old me down by skipping out on seeing Paris. I'm going to Europe and soon. And I can't wait. Life is too short to not make your dreams a reality. I want to live my life knowing that I did things that made me feel alive. Otherwise, what is the point?

29 and Feeling AMAZING....No rhyme, see what I did there?

A lot of fun things have happened recently. Most notably, I had an amazing birthday with some of my favorite people in the world. My wonderful friend, Ciara, came in for a visit. It was a triple birthday celebration: my birthday, Ciara's, and Rachel 2s. Ciara, Christine, and I got sushi for dinner and then we met up with friends at the Hangge Uppe, a dance bar I had never been to. They played really fun classic rock music that was great for dancing and signing along to. At one point I looked around at the people surrounding me, and every single person was someone who I loved and knew I could count on. That is probably the best feeling a person can have. So thank you, my lovely friends. For being there for me, accepting me for who I am, and for helping to make this my home. Here's to many more memories together!