Comments on: The Space Between

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:22:02 +0000

Wah. That really choked me up and hit “home.”

By: Still Life in South America

Still Life in South America — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:40:18 +0000

I lost track of your posts when we moved from Argentina to Chile. I am so surprised to read that you and your family arrived home.

I can imagine what you are feeling right now because I imagine returning to the United States and not knowing where I belong–wanting to travel but also wanting to settle down. We are in a bit of purgatory right now. I hope the transition is not too hard for you all.

These experiences must have been priceless for your children.

By: soultravelers3

soultravelers3 — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:33:55 +0000

Sweet & I so understand. What a wonderful journey you have had!

Somehow it always makes me sad when family journeys end. It does go by so fast doesn’t it? Remember I mentioned that before you began? And how important the bonding time would be. You will enjoy these shared memories forever!

Yes, indeed, the time together is so precious. I just wrote a father’s day post about my gratitude for our open ended family world tour and the together-time that allows us as a family & the unusual quantity and quality time it allows my husband to be with his daughter. It makes me sad that almost every child, every family misses this opportunity.

We will soon enter our 4th year of our world tour as a family and yet it still feels like we have just begun. We have seen so much of the world, yet there is so much more to see. The world has changed greatly since 2006 and so has my child who was 5 when we began and soon will turn 9.

The good news about travel is…there is always the next adventure waiting for you! Happy Homecoming to all of you!

By: ScubaKay

ScubaKay — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:59:46 +0000

What a beautiful ending to a beautiful journey!

A trip to remember and cherish forever — by everyone in the family.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:07:46 +0000

I’ve enjoyed reading your blog for your entire trip, yet this is my first post. I guess your thoughts struck a cord with me. When I was a kid/teenager, my family traveled a lot and I wonder if that has been something that has helped us remain close all these years. In fact, we still travel as a family a lot – whenever someone wants to go somewhere (especially international), the rest of the family wants to tag along! It has been great. At any rate, I would love to hear more of your thoughts on how this trip has impacted your relationship with your children and what sort of long-lasting effect you think/hope it may have. How have you and your children changed since it all began? I’m also curious to hear about how the return to the US goes. I have always found that to be the hardest culture shock to deal with after being abroad, but imagine the experience may be different after doing a trip as big as yours. Thanks for posting this for others to read and for inspiring us all with your travel adventures!

By: Doug Spiro

Doug Spiro — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:49:29 +0000

Craig,
You have captured, in a few words, what is precious in this life; the time we spend with the people we love. Your trip and this blog have become an important part of my life and I am sad to see it coming to an end. No matter what was going on, world economies crashing, a new hope realized with the election of Obama, or the daily production crisis, I could escape in the beautiful photographs and incredible stories of The Wide Wide World. I truly believe that you should publish your stories and pictures. I would buy a copy.

You, Dani, Caroline and Conor are my inspiration. I feel like I know you all and want to wish you great success and happiness in you next great adventure!!

By: Linda in Oregon

Linda in Oregon — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:39:40 +0000

Hey Craig – thanks for the cry first thing this morning! That precious time together can never be taken away. One of the things I’ve always loved about your family is seeing how deeply connected you all are with one another. Letting go reminded me of this:

On Children
Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let our bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Love,
Linda

By: Jarkko Laine

Jarkko Laine — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:24:58 +0000

Beautiful post! I’ve been following your trip from the beginning and it’s been great to read about your family doing all these things together.

I think this is a great reminder to all of us who are not (yet) ready to do a trip like yours to remember to find time to be together with our loved ones and not let life rip us all into our own, separate directions.