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I’ve wanted to go to Greece since 7th grade history–my teacher was amazing and brought all of it alive. I want to go to Athens, Crete, Santorini and then hope over to Istanbul and Capadocia.  I dream of standing at the Acropolis looking at the view. But really, more than anything, the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi is what strikes my fancy. I wanted to go this next year but I am not sure it is in the cards.

Back in ’09 I was struck by the fact that as a result of cancer, I wouldn’t be going anywhere for awhile. Now for some people that might be okay, but I love to travel–it’s in my genes. There is a reason Dad named his book, “Education of a Wandering Man.” He instilled in me a love of travel, of searching for the unknown, of looking around the next bend and over the next rise.
 I grew up traveling and continued traveling with my husband and, eventually, our daughters. We have been many places but not yet to Greece.

I dreamed of traveling. I dreamed of snorkeling while I was in the MRI tube. When we had to cancel our season passes to Purgatory(honestly it is a ski resort) I dreamed of standing at the top of the mountain a year later, skies on and heading down. I dreamed of Hawaii. It took two years from that point to get to Hawaii and another two to leave the country for adventures in Ireland.

When I was getting ready for my surgery–the first major one, the double mastectomy, I packed for staying in the hospital and at mom’s house for awhile. I knew it would be at least 10 days before I slept in my own bed. While still at home I loaded a movie onto my ipod. I know, not the best way to see anything but I wanted to watch, “My Life In Ruins.” while I was recovering. I wanted to dream of Greece. How smart it was that I used the ipod I wouldn’t know until after my surgery when I discovered the uselessness of my arms for a bit—you don’t have much strength at first because a lot has been disturbed.
I got through the first week in the hospital. That was crappy but mom was with me and we chatted. I was on too much painkiller to do any reading.
I got to her house, climbed the stairs, crawled into bed and picked up my ipod touch to settle in for a two hour journey to Greece.

I escaped–I went with the tour and then found myself with Nia Vardalos at the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi. I couldn’t believe it. The one place that always fascinated me. For the length of a movie I forgot pain and discomfort and the fact that I looked twelve in a shirt. I forgot my scars and bandages and medications and exhaustion and fear.

I met this lovely actress on Friday at the lunch for Mariska after the Star reveal on Hollywood Blvd. She was gracious and I kept wishing I could put into words what that movie meant to me.  I wanted to say it just right. When I was young and wanting and pursuing an acting career my intentions were pure. I wanted to entertain. I wanted to make people laugh, forget their troubles and feel not so alone in this world. That movie did that for me, in my mother’s bedroom, 4 years ago, at the beginning of the hardest journey of my life.

I will get to Greece. I know it.  A small ship, cruising the islands, visiting the places I learned about all those many years ago.We may go to Italy first, but Greece will always be out there for me. Beckoning me to come visit the amazing history and the beautiful water.