For I must be traveling on now, 'cause there's too many places I've gotta see.

Before I start off this post, I would like to send out prayers and wishes for safety to everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy. My twin has been stuck here with me for the last couple of days, because she cannot fly into LaGuardia to get home. The pictures alone are enough to make me cringe. Just know that the rest of the country is thinking about you, and wishing for your safety.



We must take adventures in order to know where we truly belong.


As promised....

The trip that saved my life!

 

 

We started from Phoenix, drove 313 miles northwest to Las Vegas, stayed the night, drove 178 miles to Twentynine Palms, visited a good friend of mine, drove 161 miles to Pacific Beach, stayed the night, played in the ocean, and then drove 353 miles back to Phoenix.  Three days.  1,005 miles.  And not a single regret about it. 

 

Because of this trip, I have no money, may lose my apartment, and will more than likely have everything shut off.... but I have begun to find myself again.  And to me, that's more important.

 

Spending nine days with the two best people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing has certainly brought things back into perspective.  I was loud.  I was courageous.  I had fun.  I smiled. A LOT!  I remembered what it was like to be happy.  I gained my confidence back.

 

I don't expect a lot of people to understand how a three day road trip can bring out your true self.  You wanna know how?  Jump in your car, turn up the radio, roll down the windows (if possible), and just drive.  Drive to a place you've never been.  Experience it.  Run barefoot on the beach.  Get knocked down by waves.  Flirt with the early morning surfers.  Talk to strangers.  Visit the beachside stores.  Stay in a little known inn.  Make friends with the locals.  Talk about the "What ifs" (Sara, that's for you).  Laugh.  Cry.  Feel lonely.  Feel excited.  Be in the moment.  Don't think about later, tomorrow, next month, two years.  Just be in the now.  Experience life.  Understand how you feel in that moment, and go with it.  Allow yourself to experience those emotions, good or bad.  Work through them, or let the ocean carry them away.  Laugh at yourself.  Pretend to be a rockstar.  Almost run out of gas.  Make Border Patrol suspicious.  Race the truck next to you, with the guy who can't stop staring.  And when you get back, enjoy yourself.  Get dressed up.  Go out.  Get drunk.  Meet new people.  Grab butts (ahem Sara).  Talk with your waitress.  Tell everyone your life story.  Just not give a fuck.

 

This is what this trip has taught me.  Life is too short to worry about things that won't matter years from now.  So what if I can't maintain my apartment?  I can always find another one.  So what if I'm constantly broke?  It's only money.  What really matters is being you, in this moment, enjoying yourself.  If you can't do that, then I feel sorry for you.

 

I don't expect everyone to get what I'm saying.  Have your heart broken, follow my advice, and then check back in.  You'd be surprised how well I get it.  It's taken me three months, but I'm finally on the way to achieving my dreams.  To becoming myself.  Or a better me. 

 

I think I shall go where the wind takes me.

 

 

-R.