The Wandering Koi

A year away from routine sounds luxurious.

But unstructured time can disappear surprisingly quickly.

A sabbatical historically exists for a reason: growth.

Our Overarching Goal

Our largest goal is educational.

We want our daughter to experience the diversity of the world firsthand and develop curiosity rather than fear toward differences.

The Lessons We Hope She Absorbs

Humans are more similar than different.

Many societies function well with very different structures.

Culture shapes community.

The world is vast and complex.

Perspective is difficult to teach without exposure.

Personal Goals

Alongside that broader purpose, I have smaller personal goals:

Write a book about this journey

Keep a daily travel journal through social media

Become conversationally fluent in Spanish- FINALLY!

These small goals give shape to the year.

A Quiet Personal Question

My career currently provides deep purpose.

I guide patients through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment — both physically through surgery and emotionally through conversations about fear.

Eventually, that chapter will end.

This year also gives me space to think about what purpose might look like afterward.

Not replacing the work I love.

But expanding the ways I might contribute.

A sabbatical is not simply time away.

It is time used intentionally.

And intention is what transforms travel into growth.