Silly Goals & Dreams

Sometimes our silly goals or dreams provide a little framework in which we can be spurred on towards unexpected adventure and discovery.  For me, the 50 states, I call my nation, have held this adventure.  Determined to see each and every one, this dream is coming close to fruition.

 

My first decade of life held minimal experiences with travel.  The road I knew best traversed between the town where I lived and the farm my grandparents owned.  Head south of town until you see the ‘golf ball’ on the tee (that is what this weather radar station looks like).  Shortly after this comes into sight, you will see a sign on the left with a cow at the top and family farms listed below.  Take a left and enjoy the hills.  With a great driver like my grandpa, you will experience plenty of butterflies and giggles as you crest each one.  The road turns back south by the old school house.  Just a couple miles down the road, you will reach the driveway lined by trees my great-grandmother watered by hand with a bucket just to get them to take.  Nebraska back roads may not hold much of a thrill for you, but sweet trips to the farm on many weekends fill my memories.  Beyond Nebraska, this first decade had limited discovery of states except for South Dakota to see the Black Hills and Colorado to ski.

 

My second decade, however, held a great number of adventures to other states.  Most of these were experienced by car with a few flights scattered in among the road trips.  The first drive was heading west on I-80 through Wyoming to Utah.  This provided my first experience with 7-Elevens.  I waited weeks for the store to have Banana slurpies on the featured flavor of the day.  They accommodated me on my very last day there.  I added Kansas on the next trip, followed by adventuring east to Kentucky, picking up Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.  There was a cemetery in Kentucky that captured my interest.  I had never seen headstones with such amazing statues and decorative detail.  Yes, I took pictures!

 

From there, my next journey headed south, by both cars and planes, to claim Georgia and Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana, along with Arizona and New Mexico.  From swamps and alligators to deserts and cacti, I saw what each state treasured as we roamed around the highways and back roads.  Over the next several years, I collected Nevada, California, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, and Tennessee.  I closed out this decade with Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.  The scenery varies (covered bridges, lighthouses, city buildings and fishing boats), along with terrain (plains, mountains, deserts and canyons) and the food preferences, too, (catfish, sushi, boiled peanuts and salsa), but it is all still America.

 

My third decade was greatly consumed with small children, limiting the opportunities I had to claim new states.  I managed to add South Carolina, but that was about it.  As the kids grew, we took them to several of the states we had already seen, helping them start on same adventure.  As my fourth decade began, my desire renewed to claim all 50 states.  I set a deadline…50 by 50!  My husband had caught up with me through his travels for business.  Randomly we added New Jersey while visiting New York City with the kids; Hawaii as a mother’s day gift; and Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington on a family road trip to the northwest.  Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Maine were ticked off our list, too.  Our next adventure added Virginia, Maryland and Delaware while visiting friends and family in DC.  The last two summers we have made it to North Carolina and we also added Michigan last weekend.  What an adventure!

 

This weekend, I will be visiting Wisconsin.  This, if I have counted correctly, will be my 47^th state.  The only common state my husband and I have left is North Dakota.  This, in addition to Minnesota and Alaska, leaves me three states to complete my goal.  My hubby has some very random states left on his list like West Virginia, Connecticut and Vermont.  Our weekends away and vacations may include some odd adventures to make this happen.

 

*Side note—who went back and counted all the states I listed to see if I came out right?  Please comment and confess!  It is all for fun.

 

This is my silly goal or dream.  I am almost there!  It will be accomplished if God allows.  But what will take its place?  Baseball stadiums, countries of the world, national parks or presidential libraries?  Each of us has silly goals or dreams lingering in our head.  Through these, there are discoveries to be made.  It takes a bit of effort, but you are can accomplish even the most random of goals.  Take a moment and plan you next step…you will be glad you did!