Friendship in Motion: Lessons from a Life of Shared Journeys
Every year, we travel to gather in glitter and gold—parents, kids, friends turned family—to catch beads and make memories that last longer than the parade.
What I’ve Learned About Life from Traveling with Friends
I used to think travel was mostly about the destination—the landscapes, the food, the history. And sure, all of that matters. But as I look back on the last couple of decades, I realize that some of my deepest growth, most important realizations, and purest joy have come from the people who said yes to traveling with me.
The Beginning of It All
I was 20 and headed abroad for the first time—equal parts nervous and excited. I didn’t know how to navigate a new country, or what kind of traveler I’d be. But I knew I wouldn’t have to figure it out alone. My roommate was someone I could lean on—someone who would explore right alongside me, who would get lost and find her way with me, and who made me braver just by being there.
We don’t see each other much these days, but when we do, it’s like no time has passed. That kind of trust doesn’t disappear.
It all started in Italy—my first time abroad, wide-eyed and unsure, but with a friend who was always ready to
explore alongside me
Friends Who Expand You
Then came the mentors who lit a spark I didn’t know I needed.
In grad school, I was mentored by two professors who didn’t just teach in classrooms—they built a shared sense of community through their love of the outdoors. I didn’t love it at first. In fact, I kind of hated it. But I enjoyed my time with them, and I wanted to impress them, so I kept saying yes when they asked.
Over time—trip by trip, trail by trail—that reluctant yes turned into something more. What started as a spark slowly grew into a deep and lasting love of the outdoors.Years later, those same mentors joined us—along with their young son—on an 8-day river rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. They helped me find the part of myself that not only could do something hard and wild, but wanted to.
I never would have found that part of myself on my own.
Mentors who expanded my world—and inspired me to live more fully in it
The “Say Yes” Friends
And then there are the friends who say yes….always.
The ones who joined us on that same Grand Canyon trip just because we asked. The ones who’ve shown up for Mardi Gras year after year—escalating their costume game every time. The ones who don’t need a detailed itinerary to sign on for a new adventure. These are the friends who bring the spontaneity and the joy—and who remind me that life is better when you make space for play.
Bring the beads, bring the bold, bring your people. This crew doesn’t just show up. They show up —Extra
The Chosen Family
There’s the couple we think of as our son’s bonus parents.
We’ve hiked with them across states and countries, camped under the stars, shared stories around firepits. We’ve shared Thanksgivings, and Easter Egg hunts, and supported each other through the loss of parents. They are the kind of friends you wear pajamas and no makeup around. The kind who know your flaws and love you not in spite of them, but because of them. Their presence feels like an exhale.
Not bound by blood, but by firepits, laughter, loss, and love
Lifelong Promises
And then there’s the friend I made a promise to.
We were inseparable in college, and we decided our kids would grow up together—even if that meant crossing state lines to make it happen. She and her family are part of our Mardi Gras crew too, part of our hiking adventures, part of our international travels and national park treks. Ours is the kind of friendship that weaves itself into the fabric of family. It’s not just travel, it’s life.
Every Trip, Elevated
Some friends just know how to make it unforgettable.
They’re the ones who turn work conferences into weekend-long adventures, finding the best meal in town, the most scenic detour, or a hidden bookstore down a side street. They’re the ones who decide that if we’re going to a wedding, it’s going to be a full-blown destination celebration. They remind me that magic doesn’t just happen—it’s made, on purpose, together.
The Friend Who Dreams Big with You
Some friends make the world bigger in all the best ways.
Like the friend who dreams up international conferences and study abroad courses—so we can teach and explore and raise our kids together with global eyes. So we can spend our work days scheming ways to align education with meaning, with travel, with life. She’s one of the people who reminds me that the way things have always been isn’t the way they have to stay.
This friendship didn’t just shape how I travel — it made trips like these possible:
📍 Italy Study Abroad: Where We Cooked, Laughed, and Learned
🏞️ Hiking Samaria Gorge in Crete — A bucket list hike turned unforgettable because we did it together.
This is what it looks like when you dream up big ideas with a friend who says yes. A Cretan cooking class turned into living the kind of education we believe in—side by side.
The Ones Who Always Show Up
And then there are the ones who show up—not just for the big trips, but for the big moments.
The friend who always has the parade chairs and ladders ready when we roll into Mardi Gras. The college friends who keep saying yes—five years, ten years, fifteen—whenever I call for a reunion. The grad school friends who gather for every major life milestone. The internship crew who piled into a beach house during the toughest part of the pandemic to reconnect and help each other through. The friends, both old and new, who came together in Charleston to share stories and help celebrate my turning 40.
Not every friend has been on every trip. But so many have walked beside me through life’s unfolding—through celebration and challenge, through distance and years—and that, too, has shaped how I travel, and how I live.
The Map Means Less Without Them
Travel has taught me a lot. But the people I’ve shared the road with have taught me more.
It’s where I learned to say yes before I had all the answers.
It’s where I learned that vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s the beginning of connection.
It’s where I learned that you can be fully yourself and still fully loved.
And maybe most importantly: it’s where I’ve learned that the best journeys aren’t about checking places off a list. They’re about the people who walk beside you.