He’s got the whole world in his hall

We’ve had this world map hanging in our hall for a few years now. It reminds us that the world is large enough for 7.7 billion people and small enough to bump into people you know from other parts of the world.

Argument can be made whether we really do have room for 7.7 billion, yet here we are.

The map has helped us connect on some level with our kids who all live far from us. On nights when we miss them we walk past, stop and look at their cities, and think of them. Some sort of connection.

We walk past and see and remember the places we’ve visited and the places we’ve lived. Funny little comforts there as well.

It came in handy when our daughter wanted to travel around the world for her 30th birthday. We followed her exploits along the map as she circled the world.

And finally it hosts the places we’d like to visit yet, but probably will not have the time to do it all. So we look and dream just a bit before we keep walking.

I’ve been surprised at what it’s been like just hanging there while we pass by.

Now one of our kids wants one as well, and it’s not available here any longer. We are considering packing it up and mailing it off to them to use.

It’s feels just a wee bit like we are giving up connections or dreams or something. It’s just a map but perhaps it’s what it represents that we are uneasy to give up yet.

I’m glad we still have dreams but there is less and less time left to follow those dreams. We should get on it.