Traveling

It seems traveling has been my most frequent activity this summer, and I'm still not done. So far I have been to California, Florida, Louisiana, all over Texas, and Kansas is waiting for me. Some of the trips I have taken alone, two taken with co-workers, but the best ones have been taken with family or to visit family.

All through our lives we can make friends, and when necessary, we can make more friends. Not so with family. When they are gone, you can't get more. You have to enjoy them while you can. More importantly, I want to be someone they can enjoy and when I'm gone I hope they look back and say they enjoyed the time we spent together.

This post comes from my stay at my brother's house in Oklahoma. There aren't too many places in Oklahoma I would want to live, but his place is great. The house sits on a few acres surrounded by trees on the top of a heavily forested mountain. The front deck provides this picturesque view of the front yard, with a winding driveway to the road. The trees are close together so that the ground barely has sunlight. In contrast, when you look out over the back deck you can see Tulsa in the distance. There on the deck there is nothing to block your view of the countryside or the night sky. I'm miles away from the hustle of the city.

There's more to my enjoyment of being at my brother's house. He has four children still living at home. I am jealous because mine have all grown and gone. Its more than that. He has a peaceful home. There's no hurry to be any place. No agenda, hidden or otherwise. It's just a family filled place to be.

The trips with or to family always end too soon, but the trips for work take too long. In two days I will return home to yet another conference and then I have to start gearing up for school. The property needs to be readied for winter. Amongst all that, I still have one more trip. My daughter and grandson will join me to see my oldest son. In the end, I will have seen all my children and siblings and spent time with all the people who mean the most to me. I didn't accomplish all the tasks necessary to maintain the property or prepare for work in the fall. I guess I better work fast when I get home from my last fling, but what a great summer!

Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks are coming soon, to where should I travel?