As a youth, I traveled as much as I could. To me, it was and still is a real-world classroom. I went to Washington, DC as a part of a high school club called Close-Up Washington DC. I learned about the political process while visiting the capital with simulated real world scenarios regarding persuasion, getting bills passed and standing up for what you believed.
Now as a mom of a newly teenage (13 year old) daughter, traveling has become an educational and emotional sanctuary. It gives us time to be together with few distractions, the ability to work as a team to get to our destination, and to spend time learning about the world around us.
During our travels, there have been in-depth confessions about life, love and growing up. We've sung to favorite oldies and listened to the local radio stations on the dial to get idea of what's happening for the area.
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We've gotten lost; sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose. Somehow, we always managed to find our way back again. We researched and planned our trips, found our own little hole in the walls and the serenity space, that little place where we know that for just one moment of time; this is exactly where we are meant to be. There are farms and cities, a simple realism and probably home to many stories unknown to us. Mountains and rivers, oceans and deserts were opposite and equal in their calling.
The road trips are what bring America to life. The changing cultures, climates, the history found in historical landmarks, museums and towns. The fact that you can find McDonald's from sea to shining sea. Some things change, but one thing you can count on is that the McDonald's at the next exit tastes the same.
While it is not all smiles and sunshine, there are arguments over differing interests and about things that really don't matter. There are unexpected snow storms and bathroom breaks and whatever else that may come.
When I look back and ask my daughter what she thought of the trip. She smiles and says, "Relax, after all, it's a vacation."
