This year brought its share of challenges—wildfires, upheaval, and the weight of a world in flux—but it also proved the power of resilience, creativity, and community. I leaned into uncertainty, found strength in letting go, and uncovered meaning in the chaos. It’s been a bold reminder to embrace the rawness of life as it unfolds. What did 2024 teach you about navigating the unexpected?
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. After 15 years as an independent content creator for travel and tourism, she has been enjoying extended stays abroad for the past decade, the inspiration behind her travel memoir, "I Could Live Here" (November 2023)
Human connection is a gift: a radiant sunrise, bringing warmth and light to the soul. But it's easy to neglect amid the messiness of life, the doom-scrolling, the polarizing politics, the rising costs, and melting ice caps. Yet, even brief encounters can deeply enhance well-being. To my delight, I've discovered a profound sense of connection and belonging through nurturing relationships, seeking bonds amid change, and cherishing shared experiences, even while living a transient lifestyle.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. After 15 years as an independent content creator for travel and tourism, she has been enjoying extended stays abroad for the past decade, the inspiration behind her travel memoir, "I Could Live Here" (November 2023)
Thirty-seven days into self-isolation I asked my husband Hank, “Are you lonely?” Like much of the world’s population, we are physical-distancing and staying home to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Would this, I worried, lead to loneliness? And, in turn, to biological effects as deadly as the virus itself? Instead, isolation has brought clarity to something we'd innately suspected all along.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. After 15 years as an independent content creator for travel and tourism, she has been enjoying extended stays abroad for the past decade, the inspiration behind her travel memoir, "I Could Live Here" (November 2023)