Went on a small vacation, mostly to see one of the "kids". Had a really good time, taking in a number of activities, while catching up with our daughter. Decided to take a train back. Haven't ridden a train since I was a kid, and only a short trip. Though a bit crowded, and sleeping was a bit testy - given the smaller beds (bunk style), and the sometimes uneven ride, it was enjoyable in the end. Good food, some nice countryside to watch glide by, and the interesting aspect of meeting new folks, from different parts of the world.
I no longer have the number of interactive groups I once had (in younger days.....which included work, sports, clubs, voluntary stuff, and so on), but I still can hold my own in the department of "meeting folks". I always find that intriguing.......what makes people tick, and a little about how their lives took their specific journey......the so called train ride of their life. My Wife sometimes worries that I will talk a little too much, or joke around more than is warranted, but hey, that's what I do. She is quieter, and definitely more tactful......but I am what I am, and if nothing else, there will be fewer awkward pauses if I'm "on board".
And it's so cool, even at this point of our lives, that in the short period of time it takes to share a meal, we can bond with folks we've never met.......and I wonder if some of those interactions could have turned into lifelong friends. One couple sure fit that possibility, and it's a shame that we will likely never see them again.
But there's always next time, and it is refreshing to travel through beautiful, comforting scenery, sometimes in silence, and other times as if we were young people, eagerly becoming friends with perfect strangers.
I no longer have the number of interactive groups I once had (in younger days.....which included work, sports, clubs, voluntary stuff, and so on), but I still can hold my own in the department of "meeting folks". I always find that intriguing.......what makes people tick, and a little about how their lives took their specific journey......the so called train ride of their life. My Wife sometimes worries that I will talk a little too much, or joke around more than is warranted, but hey, that's what I do. She is quieter, and definitely more tactful......but I am what I am, and if nothing else, there will be fewer awkward pauses if I'm "on board".
And it's so cool, even at this point of our lives, that in the short period of time it takes to share a meal, we can bond with folks we've never met.......and I wonder if some of those interactions could have turned into lifelong friends. One couple sure fit that possibility, and it's a shame that we will likely never see them again.
But there's always next time, and it is refreshing to travel through beautiful, comforting scenery, sometimes in silence, and other times as if we were young people, eagerly becoming friends with perfect strangers.
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