About

That Old Blue Chair

“There's a blue rocking chair, sittin' in the sand
Weathered by the storms and well-oiled hands
It sways back and forth with the help of the winds
It seems to always be there like an old trusted friend

I've read a lot of books, wrote a few songs
Looked at my life, where it's goin', where it's gone
I've seen the world through a bus windshield
But nothing compares to the way that I see it
When I sit in that old blue chair”-Kenny Chesney

My name is Julie Rodgers, and I am the owner of The Memory Makers Travel. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself, and share with you what led me to my adventure in the travel industry. Like many others, due to the everyday hustle and bustle, I found myself working my life away and never quite being satisfied. I have lived most of my adult life as a single mom, making a great living in the medical, insurance, and legal industries. I was checking off the financial boxes, moving up the corporate ladder, taking care of everyone and everything, but was never fulfilled. I met some wonderful people along the way and gained a great deal of experience and knowledge, but it was never enough. I have traveled all over the US and Canada, and although given the opportunity to see Europe and Asia multiple times in the past, I always passed it up. I told myself I couldn’t, my work and responsibilities were here and demanding my time. I finally took a step out of that trusty comfort zone several years ago to join some friends on a trip to Europe for some sight-seeing and music festivals. It was my first time traveling abroad and the longest vacation I had ever taken without my work computer and phones along for the ride. To say I fell in love would be an understatement. We explored all over Amsterdam and Belgium, I was bit by the travel bug no doubt! Why did I wait so long? I had wasted so much of my life, waiting for the “right time”! I soaked up every single moment, the history and architecture, cathedrals, cobblestone streets, the smells, the flowers, the food, the people. I came home refreshed, excited and longing for more. The following year I spent a week in a small farming town in Germany and then Denmark, but as the story goes, I found myself back in the daily routine, taking care of everyone else. I opened a business at the advice of others, that I didn’t enjoy, because it seemed like the natural next step in my career, and again the expectations, wants, and needs of others began to control my daily life. I was a passenger, watching life pass me by and hating every minute of it.

It was a year later that I found myself at this exact blue chair on a small island in Spanish Wells, Bahamas.  As I sat peacefully in the quiet, looking at the sunset and my surroundings, I was reminded of the lyrics in that song. I began reflecting on my past and present and realized I wanted different for my future.  I thought about all of the people I have crossed paths with along the way that told me “you can’t have it all” and, “a single mom can’t do this or that” some that I had once admired and respected deeply and told myself, yes you can. I thought about what really made me happy and what was most important to me; my children’s happiness and soaking up life’s adventures.  So, I decided to embark on this new journey, in my own way, on my own terms, to find success in a business I am truly passionate about. While staring at this very chair, I made the decision to be unapologetically me. So no matter the reason you are traveling, whether it be to book a quick flight or hotel, a weekend getaway to reset, or even better, a grand expedition, I look forward to sharing the adventures with all of you and hopefully helping you find your “blue chair”, wherever that may be….

I invite you all to explore the site, get some ideas, and then contact us.

The Memory Makers