Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Time On The Road

Last weekend that guy that I like so much and I left a note for the boys that still reside here at home, packed a small bag and climbed into his cute little car.  We headed north on the 101 for a rather quick little getaway to Northern California.

Just the two of us with no boys in the back seat...something totally new for us and, if truth be told, rather enjoyable.  Not that traveling with a houseful of boys has not been enjoyable but, well...I was not blessed with children who could keep their hands off of their brothers.

At all.

We only had two days but took our time driving north, stopping along the way quite a bit to see stuff we've always wanted to see.  

This state of ours...it's long.  

Along the way we stopped and visited our friend Luke.  He's a wine guy who owns a bunch of grapes...in real life, Luke and I work together but during the crush he's a wine and olive guy.

 His land?  Gorgeous.  His grapes? Beautiful.

Can't wait to drink them.

=0)

We did a little tasting and supported the local economy by shelling out a few bucks and then hopped back into the car and continued our drive.

The blessing of a long road trip is that there is lots of time to talk.  In our real lives back home there's work and boys and a little house on a little street...but here on the open road?  Hours and hours and hours to talk.

Thing is...after 30 years, he's still the guy I want to talk to.  He gets my quirky thoughts and my stupid jokes and knows my ways of thinking.  And I know his. There's something to be said about sharing a history, about that longevity...especially in the disposable times we live in now.

And I realize it's a gift...it's nothing he and I have done.  We're not deserving of it.  This life we have, and it could end tomorrow, is truly a gift.

And after a stop for ice cream, because what's a road trip without ice cream, the conversations got deeper.  About that gift we've been given, about how fragile life is, about the number of our days, about the legacy we'd like to leave.

About bucket lists.

About our faith.

My bucket list of things I want here on earth is rather short...very short actually.  

I want time.  

I want time to spend with the people I love and I want time to tell my people that I love them.

I want time.

The other stuff is just that...stuff.  

On this trip we walked among grapevines and redwoods...both which are 100's of years old.  Their roots have been stepped on by multiple generations...by people in fancy shoes and people without shoes.  I'm sure tears have been shed under them, prayers have been said,  love has been made.

Who were those people?  Are they remembered?  Does it matter where they vacationed or the things they'd bought or the food they've eaten?  

And what is my legacy...and does that even matter?

We spend so much time talking about our boys and their ratings....the grades they get and where they've gone to school and their degrees and cars they drive and girls they date and the fun they're having.

But none of that matters.

None of it.


Their faith...their relationship with God, that is what matters.  That is my legacy.  I can't do that for them...I can't make them believe.  I've planted a seed...a small seed by bringing them to church, talking about the truth of law and gospel, about baptism and the Holy Spirit and praying with them and for them.

But that seed...in order for it to grow, they have to water it.  

For now, I'll keep throwing in a good dose of fertilizer.  Reminders and hints and good old fashioned guilt.  I'm good at that.

=0)

The ride home felt a bit longer even though it was the same amount of miles.  I was anxious to get home...there was laundry to get done and meals to plan and boys to catch up with.  But the that time we were given?

Blessed.

Here's to being home.  We walked in the door after a stop to Costco, threw steaks and potatoes and asparagus on the grill, opened a great bottle of wine and toasted to life and love.

 And no speeding tickets this trip.

=0)


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