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| On the Road in Moab, UT |
The surprise email was from a friend named Scott.
He wanted to check in on how I was doing, but also to tell me that he and his brother, Phil, were about to make their annual trip to Moab, and if by off chance I could get some time off that I was more than welcome to join them again.
"Whoa," I thought. "It's already been a year?"
A year ago on this very date, November 3rd, I packed all my belongings, got in my car, and drove. The trip itself was a solo-road trip across the country; I had decided to ditch my brief life in Seattle and return to Atlanta, the place that most closely resembled home.
I vividly remember my road trip like it was yesterday. I remember the sky opening up as I passed through the Cascades, the orange sun setting behind Delicate Arch, the thousands (millions) of stars lighting up the night sky in rural Utah, the distant Albuquerque skyline from Mt. Sandia, the layers of snowflakes freezing over my windshield one morning in Arkansas. I remember shivering myself to sleep in my sleeping bag in Idaho, hucking a disc off into Canyonlands, playing the slots at a rest stop casino in Oklahoma, salivating over barbecue in Memphis. I remember sharing life stories with Scott and Phil--my welcoming camping neighbors in Moab--over ribs by the campfire, and then happily playing with my then two and a half year old brother in snow for the first time in Albuquerque a week later. I remember spending several long hours completely alone, reflecting and soul-searching about the meaning of my life, whether I was in a canyon, on the road, or both.
Given the clarity in which I can remember my road trip some 365 days ago, it's crazy to think about all that has happened in my life in this past year. I've had my ups--I won $300 playing poker at a casino, got admitted to grad school, and even revived my thought-to-be-dead ultimate career and became a professional athlete somehow--and I had my downs--I served food and sorted clothes for near minimum wage, slept and lived on a friend's floor for a month, and failed to get any job I even remotely liked. I've traveled to New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Lake Tahoe, Denver, and Minnesota, among others. I talked myself into becoming a student again, this time living in Nashville. Some of my closer friends today are people I hadn't even known existed just a year ago. It's crazy how many life changes I've been through in just a year.
A year ago, as I got in that car, I knew I was leaving Seattle and headed towards my eventual destination. But other than that, I had few solidified plans: I didn't know what route I'd take, how long I'd be out there, what challenges awaited me, the lessons I'd learn, or the people I'd meet along the way. I was scared, excited, anxious. I knew I was going to have to push through some tough times, do some serious soul-searching and exploring, and find a way to enjoy each moment. And only then would I get where I needed to go.
Today, despite everything that has happened in over the past year, my life in general has many parallels as that road trip exactly one year ago, which is what makes today that much more chilling and nostalgic. I know I strive for consistent happiness, but I have few solidified plans on how to do so; I don't know what route I'm taking, how long I'll be out here, what challenges await me, what lessons I'll learn, or which people I'll meet along the way. I'm scared, excited, anxious. And just like my road trip, I know I'll need to push through some tough times, do some serious soul-searching and exploring, and find a way to enjoy each moment if I want to get where I need to go.
My road trip across the country--with the challenges I faced, the adventures I had, and the lessons I learned--was the most eye-opening, and rewarding experience of my life. The hope is that my life journey, just like my road trip one year ago, will be a similarly unforgettable and enjoyable experience. Thanks for being part of it.
Yes, it really has already been a year since I began my road trip. But the journey continues.
And remember everyone, the journey is the reward.
-JTF
