A Roadtrip

I love the idea of a roadtrip, the opportunity to take a break from life as usual, to get in my car and just keep on going.

I fantasize about it sometimes on the way to work. As the open highway stretches out before me, I flip on the right-hand blinker and slow to make the turn-off to my school--where I teach high school Spanish--and for just a moment, I fight the urge to stay straight, to follow that road up and over the hill....

And then that window of opportunity shuts; the feeling vaporizes as thoughts of my daily responsibilities begin to cloud my vision and draw me back to reality. I park, grab all my gear, and make my way into another day of lessons, discipline, decisions, calming disagreements, offering gentle words of counsel and strong words meant to lead wayward students back, and long sighs of relief when another day is finally over.

But a roadtrip takes me away from all of that. The freedom to go where I want, stop when it pleases me, speak to interesting strangers and soak in the beauty and culture of the land is what I seek every summer. That's why we call it Summer Break; it's an end to daily routines, a beginning for soul-refreshing moments to satisfy a frazzled mind and spirit.