Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in life is for other people; that somehow
our
dreams are less deserving. But none of it is
true. We are free to dream the impossible.
Dwight finally looked at me and smiled, “I'm tripping out, man. I don't believe you.”
I showed him some photos of the other gifts I had given to people around the world as
evidence that this was not a lie.
Finally, the truth began to sink in. “I can't wait to tell my mother,” Dwight told me.
“She's not going to believe it, either. Thank you so much. I feel like I'm sitting on top of
the Himalayas right now.”
“You will be, if you want,” I replied. I watched as the words hit Dwight, as the shackles
of his own self-doubt fell away and the whole world expanded before him. I drove him
back to the coffee shop where we met. It was nearly six o'clock. Night would be falling
soon, but I didn't need to worry about finding a place to stay. For the first time in months,
I had already booked a spot.
And it was only four miles away. I drove back again through Hollywood and down Hol-
lywood Boulevard, wondering if I might run into my friend and his sign. I couldn't find
him, but maybe enough people had seen his sign. Maybe his work was done. As I drove up
my street, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Sure, I had spoken to Lina sporadic-
ally over the course of the trip, but now I would be coming home, a slightly different man.
And Lina would surely be a slightly different woman.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had managed to cross three oceans and a world filled
with heartbreaking beauty and generous connections; I think I could manage home. I knew
that it was like Nora had said: the most important thing, the
only
important thing was love.
I drove into my driveway, took a deep breath, and walked into my house. Like Argos in
Odysseus' story, the first thing that happened was my dog went nuts. At least he was happy
to see me. Then Lina walked down the staircase and immediately melted into my arms. I
held her tightly. This person had become the emergency contact of my journey, taking my
calls from far-flung places. As much as adrenaline and connection had gotten me across the
world, it was Lina's love that had gotten me home. I remembered Bill and Melissa's words
about being best friends, and I knew that in my arms, I held mine.
The first words that came out of her mouth were, “I am so proud of you.”
And that might have just been the final gift I was really waiting for. I burst into tears
while embracing the woman I loved. She held me as I cried my eyes out, proud of what
I had achieved. Proud of what I had experienced. And proud of humanity's goodness that
had greeted me around this world of ours.
