Travel Magic

When we travel we are magic.

We have been hitting the road the past few weekends.  Out seeing the world.  And I will tell you - it is us at our best.

I feel soooo good right now.  I feel like me.  

Part of me wants to apologize for our out and about-ness.  To caveat it all by saying we are keeping it outdoors, opting for houses instead of hotels and renting cars.  That we live in Japan - where the case numbers are way lower than in the states.  But after a year of virus lock-down we are also learning how to navigate the world in a way that feels right to our family.  And understand that people will always do more than us and people will always do less than us and that I will always have FOMO and judgment is a nasty habit to kick.

So, we have taken a deep breath and gotten back out there. Because I am a bit of a travel junkie.  It gets me high.  And if we haven’t been for a bit, I ache for it like a long lost lover.

I like the rush of it all.

The unknown.

The creativity.

The rigidness and the flexibility.  

Even the anxiety I feel (and I feel it too) makes me feel alive.

I would much rather feel the high-highs and the low-lows than feel nothing at all.  I mean, I spent two decades working in advertising.  Nature, or nurture - the need for the rush is in my bones. 

When we travel - oooh it is such a gift.  I feel like each time I plan a trip it is like being handed a present.  And I hold it close, looking forward to unwrapping it as I know there are so many incredible surprises inside.  Cause I plan, but just enough.  I give us just enough space to be able to stumble upon the good stuff.  The hidden moments, waiting to be unearthed. 

Cause it’s not just about seeing THE THING.  You can Google THE THING to check out THE THING.  It is about our family’s experience with THE THING.  THE THING is a catalyst for the ACTUAL THING that is the rich pure good stuff.  The stuff that hits me in my heart and stops me cold in my tracks.  The thing that I can’t capture with my phone, but capture with my whole body.

And wow - the gift of being in the now.  No devices, no work, no distractions.  Steve is so good at being present when we travel.  I get all of him.  And I am a much, much, much, better mom outside of our house.  As for our boys, one goes with the flow and other other needs to be told the plan for the day and given a map to “lead” - but both are equally over the moon excited when I pull that rental car into our driveway and strap in their car seats.  Just the four of us.  Together.  Right here, right now.  Fully there.  Figuring it all out. No autopilot.  All manual transmission. Let’s go.