What if today we were just grateful for everything? Charles M Schultz

Like…road trips not taken?

I took a day trip with my Mom today. I picked her up at 10:30am and we drove to Padanaram, a little seaside village in South Dartmouth, MA. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny with just enough clouds to keep it from being too hot. We browsed some of the shops and enjoyed fish and chips for lunch, al fresco. From there we took the bridge across the river and, with the help of the GPS, wound our way through back roads to our next destination, Sakonnet Vineyard. It was a beautiful ride through winding shade covered country roads – I love how the temperature in the car just drops when the streets are shaded. We toured the vineyard, stopped at Gray’s for ice cream, and finished off the day with a short nap once back at Mom’s house. There are a hundred little things to be grateful for, not the least of which is a day with my Mom, outdoor dining, good food, ice cream, a tank of gas, and a navigation system. I could go on, but you get the point.

This however was a conciliation prize for Mom. My brother, his husband, Mom and I had planned to be in Montreal for a few days this week. Plans changed when my brother and brother-in-law needed to return to California last week, several weeks earlier than usual. They summer here in Rhode Island from June through August. I could have made the trip just Mom and me, but my heart wasn’t in it without the boys, and I needed time to process the whole idea of their early departure (read: I needed an attitude adjustment before I could enjoy that trip!).

Montreal isn’t the first road trip canceled this summer. A friend and I planned to travel west for a couple of weeks in June. Neither of us has ever been to Colorado or Utah, and we both love road trips. For several reasons, that didn’t work out. Or did it? Things look different in the rear view mirror. Looking back, had I taken those two weeks or more out west, there would have been less time to spend with my brother and brother-in-law – fewer meals shared, fewer conversations on the patio, and fewer days to lounge on the beach; all things I am grateful for today. The point is, everything looks different in the rear view mirror. I’m not suggesting that we keep looking backward – I’m not going that way, and I hope you aren’t either. What it does is remind me that everything has its time and place and what seems like a disappointment is merely a redirection.

I’m still planning to get to Montreal with my Mom later this summer. And, until the reason we didn’t get to Montreal now comes into focus, I’ll just be grateful for road trips not taken.

Happy Trails…