A Change of Scenery

“Go on a road trip,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said. Well, I did. And it was. In a moment mixed with part insanity, part curiosity, and part courage, I agreed to go on a road trip with my husband last week.

This was no ordinary road trip. No, this was a five-day adventure in a 16-ft. truck, pulling an additional trailer behind us. An occasional routine for my husband’s business, I decided to join him this time. Luckily for me, it was a smaller truck with a lighter load than usual—something I could handle.

Much to my surprise, I had a ball, in spite of a couple of long driving days. We clicked our way through beautiful scenery as we eventually snaked up through New England, making specific stops in Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. You know what I found out? If you really want to reconnect with someone, go on a road trip with them.

It’s true. Even though I live with my husband of several years, we’re not always “together”. We may be under the same roof, however, we don’t always see each other. Life can be hectic. There are schedules, tasks, responsibilities—not only with our jobs, but also within our household. At times, when we finally sit still long enough to relax and unwind, well . . . at that point, it’s all we can do to keep our eyes open!

On the contrary, when you confine yourself to a moving vehicle for long periods of time with another person, trust me, you will connect with them—assuming you actually like that person, of course! Jeff and I talked, laughed, and sang our way over bridges and down the highways. We talk and laugh a lot already, but singing? Being silly? Taking time to “smell the roses” together? Hmmm . . . one can always benefit from a little more whimsy.

It’s good, even healthy, to change our scenery once in a while. It allows us to see things with a fresh perspective and gain newfound appreciation for our surroundings. It helps us re-establish our priorities. Humbly, it makes us realize just how small we are and how big our world is. The best part? You don’t have to go on a road trip to do it.

Get out of the rut. Change up your routine. I know we all have responsibilities, but we can also find a few minutes to step away from our desk (or whatever) to listen to a bird chirp outside. Take a walk, listen to a band, take a different route to work, read a book, go dancing. Surprisingly, you may find that tiny changes in your routine can add big changes in your day-to-day. A change of scenery is good for the soul.

“Change your scenery,” they said. “It’ll be refreshing,” they said.

Indeed . . . it is. Do it!