19 FLM 11 in MoMoMo

Write a letter for a family member to find 75 years later about a trip you took for them to duplicate.

My dear little ones,

I hope this letter finds you in good spirits. I also hope that your lives are full of hope and promise.

I know I’m not around to share some life experiences that I have had, which shaped me into a strong woman, but I want you to take this trip and find yourselves.

The trip I would like for you to take is to Niagara Falls over the week prior to New Year’s Day.

The history of this trip is quite an adventure.

When I was young, I was very impulsive, adventurous, and fearless.

Back in my day, we “met” people online, in chat rooms. I had met a few people this way, some of which I’d met in real life, even maintained friendships with throughout my lifetime.

One year, I would end up being alone on New Year’s Eve. I didn’t feel like going out alone, and voiced this to the friend I met online.

He suggested I go up to Canada and spend NYE with him. I told him that I would check my bank account and go from there. He told me that all I needed was the gas to get up there and he would help me get the gas to come back, and I could stay with him.

I grabbed an atlas and headed out.

It’s nice to drive overnight. The world seems to be more peaceful, and there are various areas where the stars are so bright. You don’t have to worry about much traffic. It’s nice to see places as they are at night.

I had to stop at a gas station to fill up and had a guy offer to fill my tank for me in exchange for some cash for food. Now, this is Detroit, and I’m alone, for the most part. I went in to pay and was surprised by the fact that ALL the snacks and drinks were closed off behind a thick window. The cashier told me to be careful, and he would watch me. I went back and gave the guy five dollars for helping. I know that it could’ve ended badly, but at the age of 23, I was wide-eyed and hopeful. The gentleman helped me get back onto the road to get over the bridge to Canada. As I write this, I hope that gentleman is okay.

But, I got there and rested. Then the festivities began. I got to see the little town that is London, Ontario. Then we went to Toronto. That city is amazing. He took me to see the Hockey Hall Of Fame. He drove by Lakeshore, where they hold The Ex. I saw amazing local food places with great food.

Then, he took me to Niagara Falls. It was late January, so it was freezing. However, we got close to Horseshoe Falls and the lights…the way the water had frozen around the falls…it was absolutely beautiful. THAT is a driving force of nature that I want you to experience.

After that, I went and visited Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and Lake Huron. All three were accessible from London, Toronto, and Buffalo, NY.

It was an amazing trip, and definitely worth the week off I took.

So. Go. Explore. Learn. And most importantly, LOVE.