As I write this, I am sitting in an RV traveling around the beautiful State of Wyoming on our way to Cody, in search of the Kardashian Klan. Just kidding, but if I ran into them I wouldn’t be upset. Let’s be honest, I would probably fall over from excitement. Altitude sickness and dehydration may take a toll, but I have been drinking copious amount of water from my new water bottle.
About a week ago, we set out to do what most Americans have been doing in these summer months, explore the natural beauty of the land in which we live. So many times in the past, we dream of traveling to Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and South America while forgetting that just in our very own backyard lies thousands of miles of beautiful scenic mountains and countryside.
When we planned this trip, it was with the intention of traveling in September, median temperature in the 70s during the day and maybe the 40s to 50s at night. Beautiful time of year. Not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket! (My blog would not be complete without at least one reference to a popular cult classic from the 1990s/2000s, Miss Congeniality) Tees and hats during the day, and a light hoodie at night.
Planned. That’s the key word of the day. Why do we plan things? What is the driving motivation behind creating plans? I ask myself this because on this “thoroughly, planned, and mapped” trip we were met with an UNprecedented, UNseasonal, highly UNlikely snowstorm that trapped us in Southern Wyoming at my aunt’s J4Brehm Guest Ranch for an additional day. Over a foot of snow is what came down along with a temperature drop from 87 degrees to 27 degrees in a matter of hours. Not a week. Not even 12 or 24 hours. It dropped in 5 hours and began to snow the moment 32 degrees hit at midnight, and it continued to snow until about 1pm the next day.
This sudden and drastic turn for the coldest left us road and highway closures, inadequate clothing since the temperature has remained in the 30s since. If only I had 20 hoodies to layer on top of one another! Our first stop was to pick up said RV and we ended up picking it up 27 hours later than anticipated. There is so much more that occurred between then now, such as Super 8, garlic bread for dinner, and being crammed in a Full-Size, 2 wheel drive vehicle with hundreds of State of Gratitude apparel (This is because I am crazy, and can’t imagine leaving this operation to someone else to ship out orders. So I brought the whole caboose with me and been working on the road out of this moving house). So, don’t stop shopping cause I am on a road trip!
So back to the main question… Why do we plan so much? What is the driving purpose behind making these highly involved plans? When at the end of the day, our plans are but just ideas, hopes, and desires.
Sure, it’s important to create plans when you are on a trip, make reservations so you have a place to stay, a way to get there, and money to spend once you have arrived. But often times, we focus so much on the specifics of a trip or activity, like what to wear, that we forget about what the driving force is to creating these plans. It’s to be surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones, to create experiences and memories together which can be cherished for years to come. I have worn my swag proudly every day on this trip, to serve as a constant reminder of what I have today with my family and friends.
I read somewhere, “Gratitude makes, what I have, enough.” What a beautiful statement, and I am a huge fan of all things gratitude related. OBVIOUSLY.
In closing, How to Predict the Unpredictable? My answer is to remain flexible, open, and honest. And, of course lastly, remember the reasons why we predict why we plan, it’s not the destination that matters, it’s the adventure along the way, with the people we love the most.
With Gratitude,
Christopher Bilyk