Interesting exchange on Facebook

My brother in law posted this message on Facebook today:
"Leaving Bangkok - back to Singapore."

One of his friends responded: "Living the dream?"

My brother in law said, "Been on the road since the 23rd. Its not all that its cracked up to be. But, I do get to see some pretty cool countries, taste the food, play a few rounds of golf. Life could be worse."

His friend answered, "You are getting to do so much that many people only dream of. Your memories / life events will be fabulous."

I can actually see both sides of this conversation. I definitely understand what his friend is saying. My brother in law has seen so much of the world thanks to the job that he has. He has not only visited, but had the opportunity to spend extended periods of time in countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Singapore. His career has allowed him to give his wife and daughters amazing opportunities to see the world as well. My oldest niece is 23 years of age, and already she has lived in Germany for a semester, Newfoundland for two years, and visited many countries, including Israel, England, Ireland, Italy, and Czechoslovakia. She has also been to Hawaii, Mexico, and been on a cruise. She has ridden a camel, zip lined, and swam with dolphins.

But my brother in law has also had to sacrifice precious time with his wife and children. Luckily he has been able to see all three daughters graduate from high school, and he has been at home for important events like senior proms. But when you are away for weeks at a time, you do miss out on time with family. And he has also had to deal with illnesses while traveling - several bouts of food poisoning, and a gall bladder attack while he was in India. He needed to have his gall bladder removed, but he managed to make it back to the States before he had the surgery.

I have never been out of the country except for one day trip over the border to Mexico when I was about eleven years old. I doubt I ever will have an opportunity to travel much in the future, and definitely not internationally.  I don't have a coffee table full of photo books and hours of interesting memories / stories that my brother in law has. His life may be bittersweet in a way, but I would still say he is experiencing an amazing life that most people would be impressed by and envy.

librarianintx