Beaches and Sunsets

For the last week, I've been on a whirlwind trip with Jennifer through LA, San Diego, Phoenix, with a big finish of flying out of Las Vegas (it was literally driving to the airport in south Vegas, and flying out).

When I didn't leave for SOMD in January, it was hard. It was a blow to my pride, having to concede my inability to make everything happen the way I wanted to. For Christmas, I got a hiking backpack from my parents. I had been so excited to use it and when I didn't get to take it to Denver in January, I was disappointed so Jennifer and I decided to go on an adventure. It took a couple different forms over the last few months, and in the end, although we didn't get to do everything we wanted to, we achieved the things which were most important. I got to see friends from DTS, both my grandpas, cousins, cousin's babies, my aunt and uncle, and some dear friends who live in Phoenix.

With leaving for School of Worship in 2 1/2 weeks, I went back and forth a lot on whether or not to go on a vacation that close before. I landed on yes because although I have been to many new places in the last years and have had some incredible experiences, travel for pleasure versus travel with an agenda are two different things. For this trip, we go to enjoy three wonderful days in SoCal before driving over to Phoenix to see family and help my grandpa move. So in Cali, it was three days of freedom to do whatever we wanted. We explored the San Diego Air and Space Museum, went on a bike ride around Coronado Island, spent hours on beaches, tried new ice creams, enjoyed some delicious Greek food, and took deep breaths in the refreshing thought of no responsibilities, even for just a short time.

I think one of the reasons I love road trips is because it allows me to see so much beauty that I don't see all the time at home. Driving through the desert and seeing the sun falling across the mountains which turns the rocks pretty colors and the shadows highlighting the valleys and crevices. Or driving from LA to San Diego, playing peek-a-boo with the ocean as we drove along the road, seeing slivers of the crystal blue water before finally enjoying it in all it's glory as we pulled in and the entire horizon shone covered by the vast expanse of the ocean. I will proudly say I live in one of the most beautiful lands on Earth (at least in the US!) but whenever I go somewhere, I love getting a refresher course in the beauty the rest of the world holds and getting to see once again, God's fingerprints all over everywhere I go.

Although in some ways, it felt like this trip rung my heart out emotionally, it was also like letting my heart soak in a bowl of water to refill. It got me more excited for School of Worship (if it is even possible for me to be more excited about that than I already was?) and reminded me that as much as I enjoy looking toward the future, where I want to go, and things I want to do, I need to remember where I come from. I come from an incredibly supportive family who wants what's best for me. I come from hospitality and people willing to host. I come from love and teamwork. With every step I take forward, I always want to remember where I come from, never forgetting to incorporate some of my past into my future as I continue on this crazy journey called life.