It's About the Journey

Three years ago a good friend of mine bought an old RV. And each summer, for about 4 days, I go on a road trip with her. Our first trip was in honor of my "milestone" birthday and we visited House on the Rock and Frank Lloyd Wright's beautiful Taliesen in Wisconsin. Last year she took me to Galena, IL and her hometown in Iowa. This year, we headed east again to Door County, WI.
 
What we learned 3 trips ago was that it wasn't about the destination at all; it was about the journey. Rarely is that old RV on a 4-lane highway. We take the backroads and we see amazing things. We meet amazing people and we have amazingly glorious adventures. I never knew there were so many curious sights (and citizens) in my own "backyard."
 
This year I took a turn behind the wheel. Since I'd never driven anything larger than a Toyota 4-Runner before, there was a slight learning curve, but the dishes stayed in the cupboards and no one got hurt. One of my favorite times during these trips is bedtime. After quiet time around the campfire, a couple glasses of good wine, some snacks and heart-to-hearts I head to my sofa bed to cover up with a quilt my mom restored, a miniature Schnauzer named Maddy to keep my feet warm and a chance to catch up on my reading. My friend sleeps over the cab. We're cozy and have great chats and lots of laughs. We plan future trips and talk about working on our crafting the next day (my beading, her crocheting)...we talk about it but never do it. We're too busy!

One of the most interesting things I've discovered on these journeys is that I'm still Me. I'm still "in there." Yes, I'm a wife and a mom and I have grown-up responsiblities, but I've found me again. And I like me. That old RV may not have a lot of miles left in her (she's Maxine, by the way), but as long as she's willing to make the journey, I'll be going along....at least for a few days each year.