Life is a Highway

I’m what I like to call a floater. I have no real place that I belong to and nowhere that is really ‘home’ for me anymore. I have many places that have been home for moments in time, but nothing is consistent. This can cause some problems when summer and breaks from school roll around because I have no place that I can for sure go to. 

Normally this is something that I stress about as the semester is ending, but this semester we had something come up that everyone is aware of - COVID. This made things a bit more tricky as I had to leave sooner than expected and complications arose. I am safe now. Happy, even. But there was something about this time around that made me think. 

My entire life has been one long road trip. There have been storms that caused me to hit the breaks and stay in a hotel for a while, and there have been the easy cruising highways on a sunny day. I have made many stops along the way to my ultimate destination, but have never really felt the need to stay there for too long. There are many days when I would give anything to have a sense of belonging again, but that’s just part of the ride.. Sometimes you have to let other people drive. 

Life is a highway. There are exits that can be taken to enjoy the cities that you pass through, but there is no guarantee that they are all worth it. There are landmarks - milestones, and small towns that remind you of home. There are endless playlists and stories shared about all that you have experienced. There are people that come and go into your life. Some stay for longer than others on this trip, others leave as soon as the next stop comes up. Each person, place, and milestone important for their own reasons. 

I’m a floater. I understand that nothing is permanent. And while there are times that I desperately wish that there was somewhere that still screamed home, I’m buckled in for the drive ahead. It’s just as important to experience the world as to know that there is always some place that you can come back to. Just as it is important to know that you have friends along for the drive. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that while it’s not always the smoothest drive, the views and stories are worth the trip. Life really is a highway and we are all driving down it in an attempt to actually live.