There are a lot of things about my father that I don’t understand. There are many topics which we no longer discuss because we have “agreed to disagree” and leave it at that. He is after all, a guy. And there are things that guys do that boggle the minds of women, no matter what or how long the relationship.
However, yesterday when he came to discuss his plans for an upcoming “road trip” I not only understood him, but we were in perfect agreement. Of course he should go! Yes, he is 82 years old. Yes, it will be a difficult journey in some respects. Yes, I will worry a bit while he is gone. Yes, I wish he had someone to travel with him- not for safety, but for companionship and enjoyment. But I do not think any of those are valid reasons for him to sit at home and watch old movies. There are things he wants to see and do and if he has the time, money, and energy then he should do them. I think he is still in possession of most of his mental faculties, despite our disagreement on some subjects. He is in relatively good health. He has decades of road experience. And he knows this might be his last chance to have one more adventure. Perhaps next year his mind or health or finances won’t be as good.
My father has always had a sense of adventure and a love of the road. When I was a child we went on “Sunday drives”, weekend fishing or camping trips, and summer “adventures”. They definitely weren’t vacations! We were usually moving somewhere or making a hurried trip to Oklahoma to visit with family and friends. He loved to see new places and do new things, and of course tell stories about them afterwards. I often wonder if he would have been able to stay in Caddo and let Mom have the security and stability she craved if he had not driven a truck for a few years. It was the only way to satisfy his gypsy blood and have that sense of adventure without moving from place to place!
Dad must have inherited his sense of adventure, because his parents were certainly brave travelers. They left for California in the forties and lived in a tent until they established a new life there. Later they traveled throughout the state and of course drove or flew back to OK for visits.
I suppose the fact that I have moved 51 times and visited thirty-six states reveals my own gypsy disposition. During the years that Gary drove a truck I enjoyed my summer travels with him. Though I love having a home base and the security of friends and family around me, I get restless sometimes and need my own road trip! So, I cheer my father’s continued confidence and sense of adventure and I await some great stories of the road!
He is amazing for 82. Just amazing. I hope I get some of his longevity and stubbornness . . .
Posted by: Megan | September 17, 2012 at 09:32 PM