Summer has unofficially begun in the Northern Hemisphere.  It is typically a time for many people to go away on vacation.  After several years of Covid-related lockdowns, it is an especially appealing idea this year.  Although it’s a terrific idea and should definitely be encouraged, I would like to also make a pitch for exploring the scenic beauty and cultural richness of your local area.  This can be done on a low-cost basis without disrupting schedules much by taking day trips or “mini-vacations” of 1-2 days.

Before moving to Philadelphia, where I’ve now lived longer than anyplace else that I have called home, I lived in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.  While I lived a pretty active life in each place, I have some regrets over the fact there are some things that I didn’t get around to seeing and experiencing that would have been pretty easy to do when I was there.  As is true for all areas, all the places where I resided offer scenic adventures, cultural experiences, and historical places of significance – and I only saw some of them.  Having seen and done more in each place would have made my life richer.

I try to not repeat the same pattern here in the Philadelphia area, but I know that I will because there is just too much to see and do.  Nonetheless, exploring the local area takes on a high priority for my wife and me.  For one thing, it provides us with always having experiences to look forward to – which makes life more meaningful and definitely less boring.  I regard exploring the local area as being a necessary component of a healthy and active lifestyle.

Wherever you live, and no matter where else you go on vacation, I encourage you to make the effort to enjoy the richness of our local area.  You will learn something, have enjoyable experiences, and probably meet some interesting people along the way.  In the process, you will also make yourself more interesting while having fewer regrets about what you didn’t do.

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