Pick Up and Go

Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel on Unsplash

“I’m always up for a trip,” I said to my cousin when she told me that she was itching to go somewhere now that traveling was easier, more practical, and more realistic.

“Really? How about Arcadia National Park?”

“Let’s do it. Road trip, here we go.” We decided in less than five minutes.

When I received my first severance package from work, I knew exactly what I wanted to use it on, my first trip to Europe. A friend of a friend who I didn’t know was also interested. So two young women from the opposite coast of North America with a common interest met up for the first time in London, sat next to each other on a tour bus, lived in hotels and campsite cabinets, and visited 13 cities in three weeks. I fell in love with every single city. Since then, traveling has only become a bigger part of my single life as I grew older.

Over the years, I have developed an understanding of how I prefer to travel and who I love to travel with. Great travel buddies were liked minded girlfriends sent by the heavens who were singles like me able to pick up and go. We shared the desire to see more of the world.

“I think I’m doing okay. I love my bed. So comfortable,” I said to my girlfriend during the height of the pandemic making the most out of this long stretch of home-alone time.

“Mindy. You are getting old. You need to get out of here,” my girlfriend encouraged.

I know the only person stopping me from going places was me. As soon as I felt safe to travel again, I booked my trips, to see friends in Minneapolis, spend time with nature at the National Park in Maine, and visit the capitals of Scandinavia.

As soon as I was on the road, I was energized. Like riding a bike, I hadn’t forgotten how to be an explorer. Who knew people in Bar Harbor were so into blueberries? In less than 48 hours, I tried blueberry lemonade, blueberry mojitos, blueberry popcorn, blueberry ale, blueberry chocolate, and blueberry tea. Seeing sunrise and sunset required fighting for reservations on a mountain top and a larger ship. In the morning, I hiked along the ocean, and in the afternoon walked around a large pond.

I’m reminded of what the pandemic could have taken away from me but didn’t: living life. I soaked in the light of sun and moon, smelled the ocean, dipped in ponds, walked mountain tops, enjoyed art and culture, and had face-to-face conversations with friendly humans. Most importantly, I feel I can pick up and go again making the most of the freedom from my singleness while I am able.

Gone was the feeling of being stagnant, circling in place, and sameness. I’m glad I didn’t wait, didn’t wait for that perfect someone to come along or the perfect break at work. Something new and wonderful from my trips became a part of me. I became a better and happier person.