I want you to think for a moment about every person you would be willing to drive across country for. What about drop everything and watch their kids for a week? I betcha the list isn't very long. Now imagine you are on this list for someone. Kind of amazing isn't it?
My parents were here when we arrived in Oslo. Sitting in the back seat of my dad's car felt amazing. It was like setting down a backpack I hadn't noticed I was carrying. I just sat there while my mom and dad navigated the traffic and brought us to the hotel. My mom had granola bars in her purse and my dad had change for the toll booth. I am usually the adult. As in the single adult. If there is a problem it is my job alone to fix it. It felt so great to let my sleepless brain just relax while the grown ups in the front seat got me to our home.
But the amazing adults didn't end there. My in laws, parents who didn't even give birth to me, had driven my car across the country to be with us. We saw them as we pulled up to the registration desk. They had just arrived 30 min before we had. Driving for days makes my very bones hurt. And I'm a fairly spry young thing. But they never once made me think I had done anything but give them the hugest favor. My mother in law ordered us all Pizza.and I fell asleep without brushing my teeth.
I like being an adult. You can do things and go places and you have the ultimate responsiblity for your life. That is a great and wonderful thing. But how grateful I am to still have the opportunity to sit in the back seat once and a while. How nice it is that as I slept my mom and dad tiptoed out and pick up some food for breakfast.
Being with parents and parents in law is like living with a magic fairy. Things that are awesome just happen. It is a precious thing to have people like this in my life. I feel honored and baffled by their kindness. And then I look at my own kids and I realize that these people feel about me the way that I feel about my kids. And I get it. I can't ever thank these people enough.not just for helping me this week. But for helping me for the years and decades.
People ask me often how I can do this traveling. I usually am dismissive and say "Oh anyone can do it" but that isn't true. I had parents who taught me to trust myself and I married a man whose parents had done the same. Anything worthwhile I do in my life will have at it root this deep and abiding love. I can't ever pay them back for this. My only hope is that I can pay it to their grand kids. I want my kids to know that they too can travel the world. And I'll be there when they land with granola bars and a map to the hotel if they need it.
My parents were here when we arrived in Oslo. Sitting in the back seat of my dad's car felt amazing. It was like setting down a backpack I hadn't noticed I was carrying. I just sat there while my mom and dad navigated the traffic and brought us to the hotel. My mom had granola bars in her purse and my dad had change for the toll booth. I am usually the adult. As in the single adult. If there is a problem it is my job alone to fix it. It felt so great to let my sleepless brain just relax while the grown ups in the front seat got me to our home.
But the amazing adults didn't end there. My in laws, parents who didn't even give birth to me, had driven my car across the country to be with us. We saw them as we pulled up to the registration desk. They had just arrived 30 min before we had. Driving for days makes my very bones hurt. And I'm a fairly spry young thing. But they never once made me think I had done anything but give them the hugest favor. My mother in law ordered us all Pizza.and I fell asleep without brushing my teeth.
I like being an adult. You can do things and go places and you have the ultimate responsiblity for your life. That is a great and wonderful thing. But how grateful I am to still have the opportunity to sit in the back seat once and a while. How nice it is that as I slept my mom and dad tiptoed out and pick up some food for breakfast.
Being with parents and parents in law is like living with a magic fairy. Things that are awesome just happen. It is a precious thing to have people like this in my life. I feel honored and baffled by their kindness. And then I look at my own kids and I realize that these people feel about me the way that I feel about my kids. And I get it. I can't ever thank these people enough.not just for helping me this week. But for helping me for the years and decades.
People ask me often how I can do this traveling. I usually am dismissive and say "Oh anyone can do it" but that isn't true. I had parents who taught me to trust myself and I married a man whose parents had done the same. Anything worthwhile I do in my life will have at it root this deep and abiding love. I can't ever pay them back for this. My only hope is that I can pay it to their grand kids. I want my kids to know that they too can travel the world. And I'll be there when they land with granola bars and a map to the hotel if they need it.
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