Wasn't it just yesterday I was a little girl fighting for space
in the back seat of my parents car? There I was crammed into the
back seat of our Catalina with my three little sisters on one of our
family trips to Arizona. Our boney elbows digging into each other,
the "silent" arguments, "air" fists and "evil" eyes as we fought over
precious leg room. You would think being the oldest I would have
some god-given rights to twice the space as everyone else, but NO,
my sisters would just do the "whisper-threat" to yell and get me in
trouble. No amount of space was worth the risk of my father pulling
over the car and "reminding" us about getting along.
But here I am more than 30 years later, wishing that was my only
problem in life...space in the car. Instead, the daily chores of life
tend to consume me, worrying about my job, stressing about my
children, stupid, petty arguments with my husband, and worries
about money, retirement and security. Is this really all there is to life?
I'm not a deep thinker, really, and I am not someone who is
wondering what's it all about. I'm just someone who woke up
recently and realized...I need to get back to enjoying this journey
through life, because it will be over before I know it. There are no
guarantees to the amount of time on this planet for any of us, what's
the point of all these worries. Live life.
My father always seemed to be able to do that. He never stopped
moving, never stopped exploring and never stopped loving life.
From the time I could remember him, he was always on the go,
whether it was work or play. He laughed, he loved, he lived. He
explored almost every inch of this country, and knew every foot trail
or back road to almost every where in the US. He read every roadside
marker and went to every historical landmark. He never had a lot of
money, but he helped us live a rich and full life. He taught us what is
important in life. Those are my best memories.
(Okay, except maybe for the cramped quarters in the back seat.)
This blog and future one's are dedicated to his spirit and
the lessons he taught my sisters and I on our many road trips across
the country. I will find joy in every moment of each day's adventure,
laugh through the entire journey, smile for the camera and share every
second with loved ones...family and friends.
I will spend the rest of my life enjoying every minute of it.
I will finish Dad's road trips to the states he didn't get to...and maybe
a couple foreign countries as well. I will read every landmark and
roadside sign he missed.
Life is a journey, and I don't intend to miss another second of it!
