Wanderlust

It’s the night before the big day, and I can’t sleep.  I’m much too excited and can’t wait to get out on the open road.  Tomorrow we’re getting up super early and going to a whole new destination, traveling many miles.  For me, it doesn’t really matter where we’re going, there’s always that same excitement I have for the vacation.  Eventually I fall asleep and morning comes.  My alarm goes off, and I pop right out of bed with a huge smile on my face.  Believe me when I say that this is not normal for me; any other morning I’m dead to the world, more so slowly crawling/dragging myself out of bed…and definitely no smiles.  But this is one of many magic moments that occur on family vacations. 

The next magic moment happens when everything is completely loaded up and accounted for, the key is turned in the ignition, and we are on our way!  Passing through town has never been more thrilling but also bittersweet.  On the one hand, it’s awesome; I’m escaping my little town and heading to exotic, far-off destinations.  On the other hand, it’s sad.  As I pass by each house, I think about the people fast asleep in their beds who will wake up in a few hours and go on with everyday life here, and passing by beloved places—certain restaurants, bars, parks, and other fun hangouts—seeing them all dark and empty and lonely, it makes me lonely and reminiscent, appreciating what I didn’t realize was so great until I left it behind.  But mostly it’s a good feeling leaving town, for you know that good times, new people, and new destinations are ahead…and the open road awaits.

Oh, how I love the open road…especially when the trip is just beginning.  I gaze out the window for a while until we’re on the interstate.  Then the next magical moment occurs: I let myself begin to drift off to sleep, the best sleep ever.  It’s somewhere in between awake and not awake, where the comfort of having my family nestled around me, the sound of the interstate humming beneath the car, and the gentle vibrations and movement of the car lolls me into a bliss of warmth, daydreams, and tingly euphoric sensations.

When I awake it’s so exciting to crack open my eyes and look out the car window, searching for clues as to where we are.  Then seeing and passing by all the different cities and towns, each unique in name and substance.  Counting down the mile markers until the next state, visiting the visitor centers at each state, picking up and perusing the visitor information (plotting and planning more fun things to do), stopping at McDonald’s and discovering new accents, seeing odd road signs or other unique things, and the list goes on and on.  So many wonderful memories merely from the journey.  Sometimes the journey is better than the destination, and I think I know why: it’s the anticipation that comes with the journey, the excitement that something wonderful and new is about to be discovered.

This can be applied to life in general, too: it’s all about the journey, “the climb.”  As Miley Cyrus sings in her song “The Climb,” “Ain’t about how fast I get there, not about what’s waiting on the other side…it’s the climb.”  Don’t get too caught up with worries about the future.  Instead, live in the moment…for every moment is a miracle and absolutely beautiful because you are alive.  And things are ever-changing, and sometimes the changes can be scary, but I take comfort in my faith that God is watching over us all and will lead us home in the end.  <3