An Idea
I recently read an article in The Washington Post about a group of friends who have taken a trip together every year for 26 years—each time choosing a destination that matches the next letter of the alphabet. A — Aberdeen, Scotland. B — Brighton, England. C — Caen, France… and so on.
So fun. Committing to anything for twenty-six years feels ambitious (to put it mildly). But the idea of A to Z stuck with me. I loved the structure of it—the creativity, the anticipation—but not the scale. I wanted something lighter. More flexible. Something that could fit easily into real life.
A Question
I started thinking: What if I had a new letter every month? What would I do?
Travel? Maybe. But I didn’t want to put pressure on myself (or my wallet) to travel every month for the next two-plus years.
Activities around the area? “DC from A to Z” has a nice ring to it.
Food? Books? Musicians?
Could I seek out people whose names start with that letter? (Amanda, I’m looking at you!)
Eventually, I landed on something simple: the letters could mean anything I wanted.
The rules? There are no rules.
Some months might be about places. Others about people, experiences, or tiny creative challenges. The only goal was to notice the letter—and follow where it led.
An April Assortment
April came together almost effortlessly:
attending a play at Arena Stage
admiring the cherry blossoms at The National Arboretum
appreciating an Art Museum with my friend Amanda
an Afghan feast at Aracosia restaurant
applauding the Astronauts aboard Artemis
attempting an “A” themed dinner menu
I didn’t limit myself strictly to “A.” Part of the fun was figuring out how to make the activity fit the theme. Wandering Berryville Flea Market becomes antiquing. Hiking in the Shenandoahs…or ambling along the Appalachian Trail?
An Afterthought
Once I got started, it was hard to stop. Not because it was complicated—but because it wasn’t. It didn’t require a plane ticket or a perfect plan. Just a little intention. Excuse me, a little attention.
A little effort and a little creativity can bring a lot of joy. An abundance of amusement.
See what I mean?
Care to join me?
May is coming. Now… what begins with B?