Be where you are. Get where you’re going.

Today Sebastian and I leave on our father/son camping trip from Florida to California, and I’m psyched. So is he. “How many times do I have to sleep before our adventure daddy” “Today we leave on our adventure dad?”

I’m sure there’s something I’ll forget, or that we’ll need on the road that we won’t have, but I’m not sweating it. I feel like we just have to get into the trip and let things come as they may. Plus, Seb’s a fantastic traveler.

A funny thing happened between last night and this morning though. My mother-in-law mentioned how much she’d love to have grass extend to the borders of the front of their property as we we’re talking about different things that could be done with the lot (four acres in back, one in front). Well, to properly spread the seed the hard dirt should be tilled first – so I got it in my head that I was going to get up early and till an acre before leaving on the trip, which I did. And I spent time thinking, as one does when one tills for four and a half hours. Why was I so happy to be doing this first instead of just getting on the road? Sure, to do Kathy a favor. And sure, kicking dirt around is just fun for its own sake. But, as excited as I am to get on the road, I wasn’t rushed or feeling like I was eating into the day. We leave when we leave, and we get where we get when we get there. So I pondered as I tilled the land (no shit, I just typed “tilled the land” with a straight face) and I thought “Be where you are before you get where you’re going.” That’s what I was doing – fully being where I am. It’s always a good lesson for me, and one I’m steadily learning.

Now, there’s a naked kid running around outside, while his naked little brother chases him with a hose, that needs to get dressed so we can get where we’re going.