I’ve Arrived.

Now What?

After weeks of planning, researching, packing, repacking, making reservations, checking confirmations, and asking ChatGPT approximately 4,372 travel questions, I finally arrived in London.

Can all my Parts settle down - and settle in?

The funny thing is that after all that preparation, the first thing I noticed wasn’t London. It wasn’t the history, the architecture, or the excitement of finally being here.

It was: I forgot my scarf, vest, and earmuffs. (It’s freezing here!)

Of all the things to focus on, my mind chose that.

(A quick side question: How come the things we take out last from our luggage often become the ones we miss first?)

I had crossed an ocean, made it through customs, found my luggage, and arrived safely at my hotel. Tomorrow I will see my granddaughter, Maisie.

Yet one of my worried parts was convinced that the most important issue in my life was whether I would be cold.

Sometimes our protective parts are adorable. Sometimes they’re exhausting. Usually they’re both.

As I sat waiting for my room, I realized that for weeks my life had revolved around this trip. Packing, researching, checking weather reports, making restaurant reservations, changing restaurant reservations - and then asking ChatGPT if I should change them again - had become a part-time job.

At some point, preparing for the trip became the trip.

Can you relate?

How often do we spend so much time preparing for something that we forget to enjoy it when it finally arrives?

We worry about tomorrow while standing in the middle of what we hoped and prayed for yesterday.

I know I do.

For weeks, I have been excited about this adventure with Maisie. We are both celebrating recent birthdays. The thought of spending time together in London and Paris has filled me with anticipation, gratitude, excitement, and, if I’m honest, a little anxiety too.

Perhaps anticipation is always a mixture of excitement and fear.

A Part is thrilled about what is coming. Another part wants to make sure nothing goes wrong. One part is dreaming about crepes in Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night. Another part is wondering if we packed enough socks.

As a therapist, I know these parts well.

As a grandmother sitting in a London hotel lobby after an overnight flight, I know them even better.

The truth is that none of my worries needs to be solved today.

I don’t need to know exactly how tomorrow will unfold. I don’t need to know whether I will sleep perfectly tonight or whether I should buy another scarf.

I simply needed to arrive.

To breathe.

To rest.

To trust.

That may be one of the hardest things for many of us.

We are so busy preparing for life that we forget to live it. We are so busy solving tomorrow’s problems that we miss today’s blessings.

And today is a blessing.

I am in London.

Tomorrow I get my granddaughter.

In a few days, we’ll be wandering through Paris together, making memories that I hope will last both of us a lifetime.

So tonight, I am saying a quiet thank you to all my Parts.

Thank you for helping me prepare. Thank you for checking the reservations, reminding me about my passport, and making sure I packed enough medication for a small country.

We made it.

You can rest now.

The planning is over.

The adventure has begun.

Tonight, there is a cup of tea, a warm room, and gratitude in my heart.
Tomorrow there will be Maisie.
And that is more than enough.

That is everything!!

With love from London,

Linda ❤️

P.S. If you’d like to join Maisie and me on our adventure, subscribe to my Substack.
I’ll be sharing stories, photos, reflections, and hopefully
a few LIVE moments from London and Paris.
I’d love to take you along with us.

And thank you for reading this far. I love having you as a part of this journey.
Please let me know what your Parts are doing for you, too! xoxo