I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen
of meadow-flowers and butterflies
in summers that have been;

Of yellow leaves and gossamer
in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun
and wind upon my hair.

I sit beside the fire and think
of how the world will be
when winter comes without a spring
that I shall ever see.

For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood in every spring
there is a different green.

I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know.

But all the while I sit and think
of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet
and voices at the door.

–JRR Tolkien, The Fellowship Of The Rings

It’s been 6 years almost to the day since we got back from our epic twin adventures to New Zealand and Alaska. And even longer since I was lone office worker dreaming of adventure at my cubicle. And while much has changed, despite thinking that my travel days might be behind me, we managed to make it work again last year.

Now I sit beside the fire and think of past adventures, dream of new ones, and wait for the next pair of little feet to get big enough to hit the road together with us.