Otter Holmes says, a life lived is a passport book stamped.

As I was preparing to renew my passport, I couldn’t help but think of the last ten years & all that I’ve travelled/ discovered. I’ve been VERY fortunate.

For those who have one, just because your passport book isn’t stamped, that doesn’t mean you haven’t done anything or travelled or lived, per se. & the same goes for someone who doesn’t have a passport at all. Are you holding yourself from a lot? Yes! The United States is a great place to roam & learn about, but it’s not everything. The United States doesn’t have the history & offerings a lot of other countries do. But if you have a passport & it hasn’t been stamped, what the hell are you waiting for? Go back & think why you got one in the first place. What are you waiting for?!?

We all live different lives, we all have something going on, we all have different aspirations. Sadly, some have no urge to travel at all, & I’m just like, whoa! Red-flag! I don’t know if we’ll be able to be friends. [How do you expect to grow?] On occasion I’ll stop & tell myself, this is life 5 years later. This, however, is life 10 years later. This is life 10 years later! & I can barely imagine life in 10 years from now!

Some people get a passport with hopes that will push them to travel, & sadly never do. How do those sayings go, actions speak louder than words; don’t talk about it, be about it. [I can’t fucking stand people who are all talk, & do nothing but talk]. Time does go by fast, but sometimes, it goes by slow. It’s funny how time flies when you’re having fun, & slow when things are dull & boring. Should we always be doing something? Not necessarily, but only YOU know. It’s also funny how time goes by slow when you’re a kid & fast when you’re old[er]. Do we only have fun when we’re old? NO! I remember when I got my first passport. It was because of my first Euro-trip, which was great! Like no other. I had, & have, a passion for travelling. I had been to Mexico a lot, but then all you needed was an ID to cross the border. I’m from SoCal in case you’re wondering.

It does tick me off a little when I go somewhere & customs doesn’t stamp my passport. They’ll sometimes scan the book instead of stamping it, or there’s some “alliance” or agreement within that [European] nation & it doesn’t need to be stamped & yada, yada, yada. Thanks for the memories, fuckers! Yes, I’ve been shorted a few stamps. I also have a little trouble understanding how passports are considered invalid 6 months PRIOR to expiration?!? Why can’t it expire when it expires?!? Everything else does!

I then received my new passport & held it in my hands & stared at it & pondered. I couldn’t help but think, this little blue book… where’s next? This is my pass to the world. Pun intended. I know where I want to go, but where will I end up next?

I’ve learned, having travelled with quite a few people -no further comment…, I like travelling alone! I prefer it. I’m OK with it. It’s a whole other experience & you meet people like you, because yes, there are people like you, but not entirely like you. 😊 It’s a good, reassuring feeling.

I’ll dread the day passport books become obsolete. They’ve already invented a card & that machine that scans your eye. Can you steal any more fun away?!?! I get it, it’s for our security but what the hell!?! As it is, we can’t speak freely anymore –even in the U.S. – pun intended or make jokes without offending a certain group of people. Seriously, what is the world coming to?!? As good as things are becoming is as bad as things are getting.

I cherish my passport. I also cherish & appreciate the fact that I’m an American. E pluribus unum. That’s right, baby! For those of you who don’t know what that means, it means, out of many, one. It’s on the cover of that little blue book you’re neglecting. We, as Americans, have access & are privileged to so much, most don’t realize it. Add it to the list of things taken for granted. Americans can skip a lot of needing-to-obtain-a-visa drama.

It’s time. For new memories, new ventures; stamps I’ve never had before. So, get out there & do something new & different. Or hell, revisit your favourite out of the U.S. destination. Go somewhere foreign. You’ll never know what you’ll learn or who you’ll meet. To the next 10!