On the Road One Last Time

My father and I have always maintained an odd tradition of making random escapes on the road. By pulling out any excuse that could be thought of, we make our way down the Atlantic coast. This time the excuse was simple: have one last hoorah together before I depart for the next 6 months.

There really isn't anything like riding along country roads of the continental United States. Windows down and music blaring through the speakers, I can smell the freedom our forefathers fought to establish. As I look to the man to my left with his hands on the wheel, 21 years of life flash before my eyes. A tradition that seemed so effortless in past years, radiated in symbolism this time around.

It seemed right to spend my last few days on home soil doing something extremely familiar to my upbringing. Leaving the tri-state on our way to the Carolinas, I felt all memories of my youth come back to me. The bittersweet feeling of joy and fear kept churning in my stomach, battling over dominance of my conscious state.

I am grateful to have spent so many years with a man whose shown me the true meaning of happiness by living in the moment where time and gravity meet. Best known as the "now" that everybody talks up but never really takes advantage of. A part of me feels sad knowing that this specific moment in time will come to an abrupt halt. But when I think of my father, that mindset is a disrespect to the life lessons he has bestowed upon me.

The trick to not falling down the bitter rabbit hole of fear is reminding myself that my moment abroad is only temporary. It will go just as fast as it came, so I cannot interpret my situation as leaving anything behind. I have to embrace the fact that I am doing this alone as a way of strengthening my relationships with friends and family back home. This is my chance to grow into myself and establish my individuality after college.

Instead of being sad, I am excited to see how my friends shape their own lives while I am gone. I look forward to sharing my own self discovery with them when I return. I may lose touch with some after these months which only means they were never meant to stay in my life beyond this point. I am alright with that because my relationships with those I reconnect with will grow stronger than they ever were.

My mind will be at peace knowing that I spent my last days in America with the man who raised me. I have said goodbye to old friends and new ones and am at peace with how things were left off. The remainder of my stay belongs to those who raised me. Only 3 days left until this dream turns into a reality.

The next step is to begin packing…