THE ROAD TO FOREVER BONDING
Travel Pulled Us Together After It All Fell Apart
When my marriage fell apart, I was 50-years-old. As a single mom with sole custody, I wondered how I would raise my teenage daughter Roxy on my own, how I would build my business back up, do it all and do it well by myself. I was terrified of failing on all fronts
I thought about how my father raised my sister Wendy and me. I flipped through my best childhood memories and realized every happy snapshot my mind conjured up was on a summer road trip with Dad. We’d go on these incredible three-week vacations together, using a TripTik from AAA.
The spiral-bound maps were custom-made by an agent who plotted the journey with a green highlighter. That was our GPS, only better because you could see the road ahead on a large scale and read about points of interest on the back of each page.
Using TripTik, Wendy and I guided my dad through Canada, Washington, D.C., Florida, and the Deep South. We loved the adventure and how he seemed to relax behind the wheel of his beloved Buick Riviera.
When You Go Away You Find Yourself
What I learned from those trips is that when you go away, you find yourself. And when you travel with your children, you connect with them in the deepest way. There’s always something to talk about—the day’s events, what lies ahead, the history, customs, and politics of a place. Travel glues you and sews you together. Roxy and I have found it to be the rich wellspring of our relationship. Personally, it’s been my salvation.
It’s About Redemption and Transformation
Our blog is a continuing love story. It’s about the love that grows between Roxy and me as we travel across the US and around the world. And, like all true love stories, its spirit is endless.
More than a travelogue, it’s about my personal quest for self-worth after I lose my marriage and Roxy’s transformation into a confident young woman. Most of all, this is about our journeys together from the Mighty Parks of Utah and the California Coast to Greece and the Galapagos and everywhere in-between.
Where Wisdom Begins
Through our travels, we have become fearless, resilient, and wildly curious. We are smarter about the world and open and appreciative of differences. The wonder we bring to each adventure has created new pathways for empathy and made us wiser and closer. Whether it’s close to home or in the most far-flung destinations, traveling is the catalyst to healing our hearts and experiencing a life rich in beauty and bonding.
“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.”
-Socrates