Traveling Without Brandon

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All I have ever wanted to do was travel and see the world. Wanderlust ranks far above having kids or owning a home. The opportunity to collect new experiences is the most important thing in the world to me. When I got serious about dating and finding a partner, it was one of those qualities that ranked highest for me.  

Of all the things I love about Brandon, his love of travel is one of the main things that motivated me to pursue the relationship further. Yet, over the past six years, we have not been able to chase our passion together as much as I would have hoped. Sure, we have taken some flights to reconnect with friends and family. There have been road trips, day trips, and even some solo escapes, but there have been no grand adventures. There have been no cross-country journeys. There have been no international trips. There have been no days finding ourselves lost in a strange city. At this point in the relationship, we have not been able to fulfill one of the main passions that drew us to each other.  

There has been lots of solo travel on my part. I have driven across the country a couple of times. I have found myself on epic road trips and smaller journeys to new cities. I have collected these experiences without Brandon standing by my side. This is something I want to desperately change.  

There is so much of the world I want to share with Brandon. I want to walk the canals of Venice with him. I want to eat tapas in Spain with him. I want to get lost in Paris with him. I want to find ourselves tucked away in a quiet pub in London. I want to explore Iceland with him. I want to see the world with him.  

When he cannot be by my side, I feel lost. As I write this, I am beginning to understand this is about so much more than travel. After six years together, I find myself depending on him. He strengthens me in ways I never imagined. He makes me feel brave and curious. It is the gifts he has given me and the things he has revealed to me about myself that make me want to explore more of the world. There is so much I want to experience with him. 

There are roads to drive, seas to cross, and air to float through together. There are moments in time begging to be collected. It is these moments that will bring us closer and strengthen our bond. When we grow old and gray, it is these stories we will tell together.  

Be good to each other,  

Nathan   

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Nathan Box
Hello! My name is Nathan. I've always believed I would meet that special someone in one of two places; either a record store or a book store. Maybe I need to amend? I moved to Seattle in February of 2011 from Oklahoma City (Try and not hold the Sonics/Thunder thing against me). I knew I wanted to work for a nonprofit and go to grad school. Within a couple of months, I was doing both. During the day, I work as a Fund Developer and Community Relations Manager for a nonprofit in Kent and at night I try to stay as busy as possible volunteering, trying new restaurants, finding hidden bars and exploring Seattle. The past few years has been both terrifying and exhilarating. I have done things on my own I didn’t think were within my capability. I love being outdoors. On any given weekend, I can be found hiking, on a road trip, volunteering, at a museum, seeing a movie (I see a lot of them). I am passionate about nonprofit work. I feel called to leave a mark on this world. Nothing against those who enjoy making tons of money, I just need to know I am making a difference.
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