Solitary Suitcase

I walked out of the house toting my purse, cell phone, an armload of brochures and printouts of destinations with one arm and struggling to pull my small rolling suitcase behind me with the other. I was too excited to make multiple trips back and forth. I opened the car door and tossed everything in. I slid into the soft gray drivers seat and could feel so much emotion well up inside of me. My first solo trip in my entire life; it was such a mixture of emotions. It meant complete freedom. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time.

I had carefully mapped out my route. I was avoiding major highways to slowly pass directly through the small towns. Most of my previous traveling partners were more about reaching the destination than the journey itself. This trip would just be about me and the journey- no single destination was the goal. I could stop in every single small town because I had no one to answer to but myself.

In my life, I had experienced several journeys. Most had been the typical trip to an amusement park, a beach or a specific destination. They were all enjoyable experiences, but this trip was for me and about me. I had been a wife and a mother for nearly twenty years and I had decided to take control and make this trip only about me and for me. My role as a wife and mother had led me to be the worrier and the planner, but I had decided to throw all of that out the window and for a short time become the person I was always longing to be and meant to be.

The road ahead filled my head with so many options. I was ready to explore the world like I had never done before. As each mile passed under me, I felt myself become more confident, more sure of this journey and my desire to do it. It was a journey to independence for me. I was no longer relying on another individual to help me make decisions or take care of things along the way.
Each sunrise brought the promise of a new adventure to come my way. Each sunset brought the reflection of the sights sound and interactions of the day. By the end of the trip, my camera was full of pictures, my wallet was a little lighter, but most importantly my heart was bursting with love and energy. The travel bug had rooted itself deep into my soul during that trip. I discovered not just a love for travel, but a level of confidence and self-love that I thought I would never have in myself.