My First Trip Since COVID

By February 22, 2021Mindy

Before COVID hit in March 2020, Bruce and I were scheduled weekly either at a convention or training for the entire calendar year. Then the ‘showdown-lockdown-no-work-in-the-horizon’ hit. Yes, we zoomed and wrote our books and did everything virtually imaginable – literally. I was going to hit 2 million miles this year on United Airlines– enough miles to secure lifelong premier platinum status, which is a pretty big deal. But we didn’t step on a single United Airlines plane.

Bruce and I easily crisscrossed the country dozens of times each previous year without batting an eye. 2020 changed all that. Well, Bruce changed all that 3 years ago when he had a tantrum in the Atlanta airport refusing to board a plane to California because we were turning around just 2 days later to fly back to DC. It was then that we opted for an RV to live full-time in for travel. We have never looked back.

But we still traveled by air when we couldn’t make the trek by RV, and 2020 put an end to all travel. That is, until today. Right now, I am on my second leg to Pennsylvania, and I can let you know that I haven’t missed this one bit. Traveling by air is not glamourous or fun. Looking back, it astounds me that I spent so much time doing this. So much of my life was spent on an airplane or driving to the airport. I spent so much time waiting through security and waiting to board, then the worst part: waiting for the luggage. So much waiting.

While waiting for the plane to be de-iced in Denver, I texted Bruce to ask what they (he and Mylo, our dog) were doing. They had just gotten back from a beach run and were napping. Oh, how I wish I were there. But I am a realist – what you reap, you sow. I reflect on all the air travel and know that I am who I am because I put in that time. Bruce and I are right where we want to be in life. We can now pick and choose where we want to teach and that is a great feeling.

Now, I can choose where and why I wait. I am traveling to support my soon-to-be daughter-in-law in a project that she has created. I am spending 3 days just hanging out with my son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law in Philly and this for sure is worth the 2 plane flights. I will travel back to California on Sunday to pack up our home in Santa Cruz to start a new chapter. Bruce and I have sold our house, furniture, art, and everything that doesn’t fit in our 32-foot RV, and we are hitting the road. Our next plane trip will be on May to visit our son and his girlfriend in Hawaii because well…the RV can’t drive to Hawaii.

Leave a Reply