Mar
19
2018
One Lone Hair
Posted in Faith 4 Comments
I am not a traveler.
I like being home.
There is no place that I have a burning desire to visit.
Everything I love most is right here.
I could say that my lack of desire to travel has to do with contentment.
Perhaps.
I could say that I do not like to travel because my back protests after sitting too long.
I could say that I do not like to travel because I get tired on long car rides.
It is probably a little bit of all of those reasons.
It is also something I have to remedy.
My husband is a traveler.
He has to travel for work but he also travels as a volunteer.
For the past twenty years, my husband has traveled all over the world.
He is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity or the Fuller Center for Housing.
Since he is skilled at woodworking, he volunteers to build homes.
He desires to build a home on every continent.
He still has to build in Africa and Australia for his goal to be complete.
That is a goal that I support.
Once a year he takes a trip for two weeks.
One week he builds homes and the other week he tours the area.
I know that I can go on any trip that I would choose.
I also know that this is something he has to do by himself.
I tease him that he has to start small when he considers a place he wants to bring me.
I do not need cruises or exotic places to visit.
Just give me a weekend visiting museums and antique shops and I would be fine.
Give me a weekend visiting our son, who is furthest away in DC, and that would be perfect.
My husband tends to offer to take me places that anyone else would go to in a minute.
I ask him to start small and perhaps I will begin to enjoy traveling.
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. (Augustine of Hippo)
My first experience with travel was when my mother died.
My father just wanted to run away as far as he could go.
I wanted to stay and process all that just happened.
I was fifteen and did not have much say in the matter, so I had to go.
It was a whirlwind, two week tour of Europe.
It was my first plane ride, first passport, first time away from home for an extended period.
The memories of that trip are not good ones, since they are conflated with other emotions.
My next trip was my honeymoon, which was wonderful but I was anxious for us to get home.
Through the years, our vacations with the children were within driving distance.
We took two trips to Disney World.
One time we drove there with four children; the next time we flew there with five children.
I flew again when we all went to Ireland as a family, and flew to Tennessee with my daughters.
If you gave me a sheet of paper and told me to write my bucket list, it would be quite short.
Perhaps, I would go to Ireland again, visiting northern Ireland this time.
I would also go to Scotland and Wales.
In the United States, I always wanted to visit Maine.
All of this came to mind because of a conference.
The conference is held in Tennessee.
To say that it is a creativity conference would not adequately describe it.
To say that I would be meeting other people who love writing as much as I do would be true.
We want you to come and enjoy a weekend of music and conversation about the stories all around us in song, film, books–and most importantly the story being told through our lives; our own story–what it means to get to the holy hidden heart of it, how to tell a better story with the days we’re given, and how our stories intersect each other’s and connect to the Great Story. (Hutchmoot.com)
I thought about going last year but the son of my friend was getting married the same weekend.
The desire to go this year just would not go away.
I asked my daughters if anyone wanted to go with me.
Only my oldest daughter thought that it might be possible.
I wanted her to know what the conference entailed.
When she heard that it is four days of speakers and workshops, she was honest with me.
Mom, if it was just two days, I think I could do it, but four days is a lot for me.
I totally understood.
The dilemma was whether I could go myself or not.
Can the woman who does not like to travel do this on her own?
My husband was getting ready to build houses in Portugal for two weeks.
He and I went to breakfast on the day he was going to leave and I told him about it.
You should do it, he said.
You COULD do it, he said stressing the word, could.
When do the tickets go on sale? He asked me.
Yesterday, but they are probably all sold out, I answered.
That was not an excuse; I knew only 300 tickets were being sold.
I went on the website when we got home and the tickets were all sold out.
I put myself on the waiting list.
A text to a dear friend put some things in motion.
I simply remarked that the conference was being held at her church but it was sold out.
She was surprised that it had sold out so quickly.
I really hoped to have some time with her but it would have to wait until next year.
The next day I got a text from her.
Someone connected to the conference had an access code, which I could use to buy a ticket.
I went on the website and put in all the information.
SUCCESS came up on the screen and then the rectangle reappeared asking for the access code.
I told myself that it was not meant to be.
The entire two weeks my husband was in Portugal were difficult.
We had two Nor’easters, lost power, and my youngest daughter was sick for her spring break.
Getting tickets to a conference was the last thing on my mind.
When things settled down, the nudge to go to the conference was still strongly there.
One more email was sent, seeing if the access code would still work.
I was informed that I should give it a try.
I went through all the necessary steps and the rectangle appeared and stayed on the screen.
I filled in all the information including my credit card number.
I sat there.
I looked at the computer screen.
I prayed through all the fears of traveling alone and not knowing anyone at the conference.
I sat there, staring at the computer screen, hesitating to click on, PAY NOW.
I saw one lone hair on my computer keyboard.
I brushed it away.
Suddenly a circle started to spin on my screen.
YOU PURCHASED ONE TICKET, it informed me.
The ticket purchased itself.
I am supposed to go to this conference.
I do not know what God has in store for me there.
I repeated God’s Word to my heart.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
I am.
No fear.
He is with me.
I am not afraid.
Unlike you, I do like to travel, but with people I love. Three years ago I had a situation similar to yours. I knew I wanted to go to a writer’s conference – but all the fears of leaving my comfort zone, traveling alone, doing something for ‘me’ kept creeping in. But I did. And there I met the most incredible people, learned amazing things about my craft, and had doors opened for great opportunities to grow. I really didn’t even get to ‘see’ where I was (on a beautiful beach). It was the people I met that made the experience. They continue to lift me today – and we’ve met again at the same conference and in new spaces together. Go, enjoy, spread your beautiful message and talent with others. There are people waiting to hear your words. And He is with you. Blessings!
Diane,
Thank you for those encouraging words. I have my ticket. So God willing, I will be going. It is good to know that others struggle with leaving their comfort zones from time to time.
Gina
Gina,
I understand COMPLETELY how you feel about home vs. Travel. I find it difficult to blast myself as far as the Exton mall. Even though we have only lived here in Parksburg for 1 1/2 yr. Its where I want to be. Also, visiting my mother at Tel Hai is a blessing I look forward to almost daily. I feel such a connection to you, after all these years and to think we lived just less than 1 mile apart for so many years! Lets please get together, and share the joys of family, friends & faith.
Linda
Linda,
I am so thankful that after all these years, we have reconnected. Yes, I want to sit and talk and catch up with you. We have a lot of years to catch up on. Blessings until we have that cup of tea.
Gina