Road Trip Prologue

To some, a road-trip is just a mere commute – a mindless journey from one destination to another spent focusing on the pavement and the radio while anticipating the “end of the road”. To others, it is an escape or a distraction from daily routines and problems with an expectation that the hiatus will somehow transform the future upon the return to reality. These vacations are deceptively more complicated than we anticipate when first starting out, as anyone cooped in one vehicle for days on end can attest to (sometimes the act of trying to “have fun” can be exhausting and frustrating – shit happens).

Road-trips can be purposeful and educational, with trip-tics and “to do and see” lists as you methodically map out the itinerary; or a little more relaxed and adventurous, to see the back-road oddities and local color with a loose
timeline and an edgy attitude. If you’re lucky, in addition to learning about
the sights you have seen, you can also learn about yourself and your
travel-mate if you take the time to not just idly observe, but really immerse
yourself in the experience (this then becomes the real lasting educational
value).  A road-trip has added layers of emotions that start way before we reach our destination:  anticipation, excitement, apprehension, fear, heart-lifting happiness, heart-breaking sadness, acceptance, rejection,
belonging…not-belonging.

In the end, road trips are not as much about the journey, but rather the journey’s end. Surprisingly though, we often find that the journey’s end is not always the destination we were aiming for:  that’s when we realize that home is where you are in the moment; while you were driving in that car for all those miles, you were just as much home as anywhere.  Finally, for the very lucky few, a road-trip becomes a journey of unconditional love and self-awareness, encompassing all facets of human emotion and traveling beyond any tangible destinations.  It becomes its own entity, taking on momentum and meaning far beyond expectations – in a word, life-fulfilling.  So, we approach our upcoming road trip with anticipation and exhilaration and look forward to strengthening the connections between us with lasting memories and moments…progressing from one horizon to another.

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