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Writer's picturePenny Light

Carrying Home Within: Gratitude, Growth, and the Power of Purposeful Travel

As I prepare to depart on a journey to Peru to host a retreat with Grit & Grace Adventures and then continue on to Costa Rica—a place I also call home—I find myself pausing, as I often do, to ask, How is this my life?

There’s a weight to this question, an awe that presses against my chest as I reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m headed. I’ve stood on balconies overlooking the Adriatic Sea and shed tears of gratitude. I’ve stood atop ancient rooftops in the Liston, looked in awe upon mt. Everest, and so much more, always overwhelmed by the beauty of the world and my small place in it, shedding tears of thankfulness. I’ve sailed ships along exotic coasts, slept under the stars in the vastness of the Sahara and Kalahari deserts, and walked in places few have walked before me, and where the world exists just fine without humans. And in each of these moments, I’ve been brought to tears—not just for the sheer magnificence of the experience, but for the improbable fact that I was there at all.


My childhood, my life as it began, didn’t suggest that I’d go on to do these things. There was no map pointing here, no signposts hinting at this future. And yet, through a combination of determination, courage, and the unwavering support of people who believed in me even when I doubted myself, I have been able to. Their belief became my bridge, carrying me to places beyond my imagining.


This, I realize, is why I created Grit & Grace Adventures. It’s not just about travel—it’s about the alchemy of possibility. It’s about creating spaces where women can dream a little bigger, step into the unknown with courage, and discover not just the world, but themselves. It’s about helping others feel that same sense of awe, of connection, of being part of something far greater than themselves.


And yet, with this gratitude comes a certain guilt. How can I not feel it, standing where I do, looking out at the life I’ve built? This feeling is something I’ve often talked about with close friends—women who share this awareness of privilege, this deep recognition of the world’s inequities. How do we hold our gratitude alongside the knowledge that not everyone has been given the same opportunities?


But guilt, I’ve learned, can be a powerful tool. It’s empathy’s sharp edge, reminding us of our interconnectedness and urging us to act. It transforms privilege from a weight into a responsibility, an invitation to share, to give, to lift others. It’s what drives me to create experiences that go beyond indulgence and into transformation. Hosting retreats isn’t just about taking people to beautiful places; it’s about helping them uncover the beauty within themselves and forge connections with others and the world around them.


Home, too, is a concept I’ve had to redefine. Is home a place? A memory? A feeling? For me, it’s all of these things and more. It’s the laughter of dear friends in Costa Rica, the anticipation I feel before a retreat, the sense of belonging I carry with me wherever I go. Home is in the stars above the desert, the waves that lap at distant shores, and the moments when my heart swells with gratitude for a life I never could have imagined.


As I sit here, under the glow of this full moon—always a good time for a Penny moment, don’t you think?—I’m reminded of the greater picture. We, as women in our wisdom years, have worked hard and overcome much to arrive here. Our privilege doesn’t diminish our struggles or our triumphs; it enhances our gratitude for them.


We are privileged—all of us—and our awareness of that is what humbles us. It’s what keeps us grounded, grateful, and willing to share. It’s what inspires me to keep creating spaces for others to feel this awe, to experience this connection, to step into their own moments of wonder and gratitude.


So, as the moonlight stretches over the horizon and the path ahead beckons, and I try to find some sleep on yet another plane, I pause once more and whisper, How is this my life? The answer comes, steady and true: It is because you chose it. Because others believed in you. Because you believed in yourself. And because of this, I can extend that belief to others.


That is the essence of Grit & Grace Adventures. It’s not just about where we go—it’s about who we become along the way.


In friendship, and adventure


Penny Light ✍️

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