Point of Departure

“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, 

we have come to our real work 

and when we no longer know which way to go, 

we have begun our real journey."

-Wendell Berry

After a hectic, but fantastic celebration of my older' brothers college graduation, I have only just begun to wrap my head around the fact that I am leaving for a 5 week cross country road trip--we leave in eight hours. Although it will be stressful, I think I'll benefit from a rapid turnaround like this one. Before I know what hit me, Skyler and I will be arguing with each other at a gas station outside Birmingham, Alabama. There's no doubt that this sudden displacement will disorient me, but that's not bad. In fact, it's exactly what I wanted from this trip.

Skyler and I have spent six months planning out detail after detail of this trip. See the result below:

In a strange turn of events, I've actually made a plan for the next few weeks of my life. The itinerary is pretty thorough (yes that's a pat on my own back, it's a miracle that I even picked a first destination). With the hope of making this trip a success, I've focused so much energy on knowing exactly where I'm headed and when. But as helpful as my new-found (likely fleeting) organization skills have been, they may hinder me if I'm not careful.

I was happy to rediscover the above quote from my favorite poet Wendell Berry. His words reminded me that my real adventures will not unfold along the straight lines that I've drawn across the country. The trip will be messy and chaotic--if it's not, then we've failed. Above any sightseeing, camping or reuniting with old friends, I am most eager for the things that I can't look forward to. I relish the opportunity to hit an unexpected fork in the road and find myself utterly astray. I want to cherish every second of bewilderment, anxiety and discomfort that the trip affords me. Only in those moments--when I lose any sense of expected destination--will I be able to journey onwards. 

But for now I might have to put my fantastical wanderlust on hold. Asheville, North Carolina (the first stop on our detailed schedule) awaits us. Sadly, I think I'll have to start the trip by compromising my desire for wild abandon and succumbing to the mundane nature of scheduled agenda. 

Then again, all the plans could go out the window once we hit the Blue Ridge Parkway.