My Road Trip Adventure

Life is a mystery. It’s impossible to predict what tomorrow will bring. If someone had asked me if I would take a road trip from Ohio to Seattle, my answer would be "Are you kidding me?" Well I didn’t know that life had that plan in store for me.

Being a victim of the recession, I had no choice but to accept whatever job offer came my way. One fine day, I got an interview call from Microsoft. In two days time I was offered a contract opportunity with them. I had less than a week to report at their office in Bellevue, close to Seattle which was miles away from where I lived in Cleveland, Ohio. I was excited about the opportunity but the thought how to get there from here was a bit overwhelming. I like adventure and this probably was the biggest adventure for me - moving to a new place where I don’t know anyone and with very less time to make the shift. What was hard was the thought of leaving all my friends, the memories, dreams and the home that I had created for myself.

Looking back I have to admit that I got exactly what I wanted. My life had been turned upside down in a span of 6 months. I felt like I had lost control of my life. Deep inside me was a yearning for a change. It wasn’t really because I didn’t like where I was. Despite the tough times, I was too attached to where I was. This comfort zone was my real problem. Even the memories of people who were not there anymore but had deeply touched my life were boundaries of comfort. I wanted to break free but just didn’t know how to do that. May be I didn’t want to because of my own fear of experiencing the unknown. Well what you resist persist and I now I can vouch for it.

I wanted a fresh start and life is offering me what I asked for. I chose to embrace the unknown with open arms. I sold most of the furniture and stuff that I had accumulated over the years. This was probably the hardest part. We all know how we hang onto that pair of jeans or that small gift, though trivial, given by someone special just because we don’t want to miss it. But isn’t that what life is about. We must let go of things, people, experiences and even beliefs at some point in our life to make way for new ones. I decided to drive all the way to Seattle since that was the cheapest option for me. In the two days time, I went online and called people who were renting their places in Bellevue and Redmond, said bye to my friends, sold whatever I could, shipped the items that I felt would be useful and dumped all the clothes in my car.

I remember the night before I left. My apartment was empty. I looked around knowing that things will never be the same. My mind was filled with memories of the good old days. I remembered all my dreams that came true. Those thoughts also brought up the dreams that would never come true. A strong feeling of sadness and a longing for the past overwhelmed me. I wanted to forget them but the harder I tried I was only thinking about wanting them back. I felt naked without anything to hold onto. My eyes were filled with tears. This longing for my past made me feel weak and afraid. I could feel the fear spreading all over my body suffocating me. I then remembered the words from a wise friend – “Accept this moment as it is. Do not resist. Accept your fears. Welcome them as a special guest”. I closed my eyes and put my whole attention to the experience I was going through watching what my fears and emotions were doing to me. I don’t know how to explain what happened, but in a few moments there was a transformation. Whatever made me nauseous melted into thin air. I felt a sense of freedom as if my whole body was released after being locked up in a tight container. I could breathe fine. The next day, the morning of July 2nd 2009, I began my road trip.

I want to talk about fear a little bit since all human problems can be boiled down to some form of fear. It’s perfectly normal to experience fear. It’s a part of being human. What we don’t want is to allow fear to stop us from moving forward. Fear is not our enemy. If you look at it closely, its nothing but information that’s expressed in a way we are not comfortable with. Sometimes our fears don’t even exist and we create it unconsciously. This is a pattern most of us have been trained to do since childhood. Freedom from fear is by accepting it, by acknowledging its presence just as you would accept a friend into your life. When you do that you will be able to discern whether your fear is for real or an illusion. You will receive the information it has for you and help you to take action. If for some reason your fears do come true, accept the consequences. It’s too late to resist since its either happening or has already happened. Do take action when needed otherwise allow nature to take its course.

That’s precisely what I did during my road trip. When you are aware of your fear and emotions, there is a fine line that keeps it from grabbing you. I stayed with my fears all the time – what if my car breaks down, what if I fall sick, what if I don’t make it to the destination on time, what if I don’t find a place to stay, what if I get robbed and on and on. We all know our “what ifs” game the mind plays. I allowed it to be as it is. I knew that right here and right now I am safe, enjoying my drive. If any of my “what ifs” do come true, then I will make the best decision possible in that moment. I allowed life to unfold in its own terms on day at a time, one moment at a time.

I made sure that I make the most out of this trip – driving with the feeling of being bored, eating at places in no mans land, talking to the local people in the small towns that I came across. If I felt sleepy, I would call someone to talk to or close the windows so that the heat and perspiration would keep me awake. I made sure I make the most of the trip. My three day road trip in which I covered 2400 miles took me through, Detroit, Chicago, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and Idaho. The first night I stopped in Minnesota and the next night in Montana. My favorite part was driving through Montana. The beautiful trees and mountains were so impressive. I wanted to camp in the woods and get lost in nature. May be some day I will find an opportunity for that. I reached Bellevue, around 5:30 on Saturday the 4th of July. None of my “what ifs” came true and I was grateful that I made this long trip.

We must make plans for tomorrow and take action but at the same time be prepared to accept the unexpected. Our life is like the river flowing in a direction. When it meets a rock that can’t be pushed by its force, it goes around it and finds a way. Sometimes taking no action might be the right action. Whatever you do, the only way to blending with the flow of life is the way of harmony.
You may not want to take a road trip but if life has that in store for you, go for it.