Monday, July 12, 2010

Road Trippin







Nothing screams summer like a good road trip. My mom and I took one together...just us girls. We were on our way to visit my brother and his family, but we took some roads through the southern interior of B.C. that I have never seen before.

We visited small towns that looked so romantically picturesque, I wanted to move right into this seemingly simple lifestyle. Of course, I conveniently forgot how isolated these places are in the winter. We walked down streets, ice cream cones in hand as we admired character homes and funky shops. As we continued down the highway, we gasped as we saw three black bears in three different locations. We stopped next to bridges to take pictures of overflowing rivers running high with spring's mountain thaw. We visited friendly horses and gave them handfuls of grasses in exchange for a picture or two. We crossed a river on a cable ferry that looked as though it came from another time and place. The beauty of this landscape was breathtaking and inspiring. Powerful transformations can burst inside of you when you experience a place that is new to your eyes.

I loved spending this time with my mom. We have always been close, but there is something special about taking a road trip together. We were like Thelma and Louise without the crazy....on the road, feeling free from responsibility and regularity for a little while. We had so much time to talk and muse about where we are in this particular point in our lives. I felt as though I was given a gift....this uninterrupted time with a woman so dear to me. I am so deeply grateful for the connection that we have, and will never forget this adventure we shared.

A picture perfect way to start the summer. I hope this summer feels as stretched out and endless as it did when I was a kid. Maybe the key is to savour every moment so that every day feels full and satisfying...not just when you are on vacation, but when you are living your daily life. Live it like you are on vacation.

Here's to longer days and warm dreamy nights sugared with the scents of summer blooms and ocean breezes. I think it's time to cut the watermelon.