Dear Mom,
I don’t think you fully realize what our trips mean to me.
When I was little, travel meant princess dresses, Mickey-shaped ice cream, hotel pools, and convincing you for the fifth time in one day that yes, I absolutely needed another souvenir. I genuinely believed our family vacations existed so I could live like Disney royalty for a week. Honestly, I still stand by that a little but as I got older, the trips changed and somehow, so did I.
The castles became cathedrals. The rides became museums. The matching mouse ears became long conversations while walking through cities older than our entire country. Instead of asking, “What gift shop are we going to next?” I started asking questions about revolutions, architecture, philosophy, religion, theatre, art, and the people who lived in these places long before us.
Travel made the world feel real to me in a way school never fully could. History stopped being names and dates in a textbook when I could stand where it happened. Philosophy became more interesting when I saw how differently people around the world think and live. Theatre became magical in a completely new way after seeing performances, old opera houses, and the artistry different cultures share through storytelling.
These experiences even reshaped my values. I learned gratitude without needing someone to lecture me about it. Seeing different ways people live made me appreciate what I have while also making me more open-minded, compassionate, and curious about others. I want to keep learning and I think that’s one of the greatest gifts a person can receive.
The best part of all of it was getting to experience it with you. Some of my favorite memories are not even the “big” moments. They’re the random train rides, getting lost together, falling asleep on a park bench in Paris, or sitting at dinner talking for hours after a long day. Traveling gave us space to know each other outside of everyday life. You weren’t just “Mom,” making schedules and reminding me to clean my room. You became my best friend, my travel partner, my safe place in unfamiliar cities, and the person I could share every experience with first.
I know now how much effort those trips took. The planning, the money, the stress you probably hid from me so I could just enjoy the magic of it all. Now I understand they were more than vacations, they were acts of love.
You gave me perspective, education, inspired curiosity, and memories I’ll carry forever. You gave me experiences that shaped the person I’m becoming, and I honestly cannot imagine my life without them.
Thank you for showing me the world before I even understood how lucky I was to see it. Thank you for making the world feel exciting, beautiful, and worth exploring.
I can’t wait for wherever we go next.
Love always,
Lola Grace
