Americans Hit the Road to Celebrate the End of a Long Winter
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA) travelers are expected to hit the roads, rails and airways this summer in numbers not seen since 2005. My guess is that this has something to do with the end of a long, brutal winter in most parts of the country. Around here there is a lot of excited buzzing about vacations.
Looking at this photo of traffic, it’s difficult to think of platitudes, but the one I like to remember is, “It’s the journey that brings you happiness, not the destination,” by Dan Millman, from The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Of course, in this context, the vacation itself is part of the journey. In fact, all life is a journey, and according to Millman, if we rush through it without being in the moment, the sad thing is not that we die, but that we never lived.
That philosophy can be translated to vacations. Sometimes, the sad thing might not be that they have to end, but that so much allotted time is spent in planes, cars, trains and busses or waiting for them. What would it take to make more of the traveling at least a little more enjoyable?
The key is planning, bringing everything you will need without lugging things you won’t need. There are numerous ways to entertain yourself and your children, like reading, listening to tunes, playing electronic games, but what if you’re just stuck with nothing to do. Try the old games from the dark ages before cell phones, when the dinosaurs roamed.
A great game for use while sitting in traffic or a crowded airport waiting area is called “I Spy with my Little Eye.” You spy something and say its color and everyone guesses what it is. For example, I spy something orange, but that’s not fair, it’s always a highway cone and the reason everyone is sitting there with nothing to do, but you get the idea. This game is also a great way to teach kids to be in the moment and notice their environment.
Enjoying the journey might come easier for drivers if they listen to Sylvia Boorstein’s Road Sage (pictured above) while they are behind the wheel. Our Car Travel Pack which includes Road Sage, will also help promote peace, support, safety and sanity for passengers, who can enjoy Belleruth’s Guided Imagery Mix, for quick access to a relaxed mind state and a Mother Earth Pillow to create comfort in cramped spaces.
My friend wants to go on a European vacation, but she confided in me that she is afraid to fly and embarrassed to admit it (as are many others). Jerry Seinfeld discussed this with humor, but hit the nail on the head, “People are afraid to fly, because humans can’t fly, the same way fish can’t drive, and they know this. If you put a fish behind the wheel, it’s like putting a human in a plane. They don’t like it.” he said.
I recommended to my friend (and the many others who have sheepishly asked for help with that problem) that she try KRS Edstrom’s audio program Fly Without Fear, or better yet, our Plane Travel Pack, which also includes Belleruth’s Relaxation and Wellness, an all-time favorite for getting mellow, and a Mother Earth Bolster Pillow, great for travel, hotel rooms, waiting areas or anyplace you need to pack quick comfort.
Other Travel Packs include our Teen Travel Kit and our Travel Kit for Kids.
For more ideas to help you enjoy your journey, whether the destination is a physical one or just a break from the status quo, go to our Online Store.
Wherever you go, we hope your journey is joyful. As always, we love hearing from you and we welcome your questions, comments and vacation stories.
Bon Voyage from the Health Journeys staff.
