Making the most of the journey

This weekend, my sons and I road-tripped to New York to see my sister Maureen and her three youngest children. Spending eight hours on the road for about 36 hours together might seem a little intense, but I would drive further than that for the chance to hug my sister. We had a fantastic weekend.

I came back tired but rejuvenated. There’s something about getting away that shifts your perspective and adds just a little newness to being home. This week, I find myself relishing the way my sons relax in the living room, marveling at the variety of noises our pet finches make, and enjoying just sitting and talking with my husband.

When we climbed in the car on both ends of the trip, I announced we wouldn’t be stopping. Any stop, no matter how minor, seems to add at least a half-hour to a trip. I am sure there are many benefits to taking a break from driving. But I wanted to spend as little time as possible on the road, and I wasn’t looking to pick up any illness of any kind at rest stops along the way.

So, we hit the road and kept on driving.

Still, as we counted down the miles to our destination, I kept trying to remind myself that life isn’t just about the destination. So, I tried to enjoy our time in the car—and notice what we were passing.

I pointed out the dry, brown trees along the highway and read some of the billboards aloud. I commented on train cars and airplanes. I made sure we surveyed the buildings of Manhattan.

Sometimes my sons weren’t paying attention, but other times they were engaged in the trip. We had some fun conversations, and I enjoyed having them along. At 12 and 14, they might not always want to make a spontaneous road trip with Mom. But they were willing to join in my travels this weekend.

I wasn’t sure they had enjoyed the road trip aspect. But the evening after we got home, my younger son said to me, “The best part of driving is we can talk.”

And, of course, he is right.

As we prepare to begin Lent, we want to keep our sights on the joy of the Resurrection. But we also want to focus on the journey toward Easter. Those days of penance and prayer are not just steppingstones on the way to something better. They—like the miles ticking by on the odometer—have a value and purpose all their own.

Photo by Stas Tsibro from Pexels

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