"To believe in yourself and to follow your dreams, to have goals in life and a drive to succeed, and to surround yourself with the things and the people that make you happy - this is success!" - Sasha Azevedo
Growing up, I went through stages in my love/hate relationships with cars. I've heard stories of my dad taking me for late night car rides to try to get me to sleep and ones of me staying up all night during our 8 hour trip to Northern Idaho. I used to dread our occasional trip to Portland, even though it was only an hour away. The other day, though, I realized how much I really love to just go for a drive.
As Tristan and I were driving through the hills on our way back to the city - I thought about how relaxing and enjoyable it is to just sit back and enjoy the scenery passing by. We had the windows down, the music up, and my mind was open.
The particular road we were taking back towards Portland is one the I have seldom traveled and when I have, it has mostly been through the cover of nightfall. I have never really paid much attention to what is along the winding highway.
In the small town of Mist, Oregon is an old school with a playground around back. Walking onto that playground felt like stepping somewhere back in time. Today's playgrounds are covered in rubber and plastic. There was something sweet and sentimental about coming across this classic merry-go-round, swing set and metal slide. It was a quiet reminder of how easy it is to become accustomed to the way things are today and forget about where we come from.
Just across the field was another reminder about how things evolve and perhaps even devolve through the years. Tristan's grandparents used to live next to the old school. While we were there, Tristan told me about how the property at that time was mowed and weeded . . . how it sustained the livestock of a farm and entertained family gatherings.
Here, where Grandpa and Grandma Trass's house once stood, it's now just an overgrown field.
The remains of an old brick BBQ |
As we finished our drive home - I sat back into my seat, letting the wind blow over my skin and through my hair, absorbed in the music and my thoughts. Again I was dwelling on all the things we take for granted every day and how we fail to recognize all the hard work those who came before us have done so that we can have the lives we have today.
For those of you reading this, do me a favor: think about your friends, your parents, your grandparents. Think about some of the things that they have done in their lives and how they have provided you with opportunities to do some of the things that you have done. Think about how fortunate you are to have those people in your life who can motivate you to be a better person.
I guess our little Sunday "drive" pushed me to think about finding that drive in my life to do great things. They may not always be big things, but the little things in life can have a huge impact on ourselves and others as well.
On a side note: we also spent a morning this weekend driving these RC rock crawlers up and down a big rock pit in our friends' back yard. I have to say - for as much as I make fun of Tristan sometimes for how much time he spends "playing" with his truck - they are actually a lot of fun!
"Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do." - Norman Vincent Peale
What? How?
ReplyDeleteJust saw you attached to Rural Thursday. Isn't Nancy the best?
Hey you also have Wordful or Wordless w/ Sarah Halsted. I've been looking for that for about 2 weeks. thank you!
Have a fab weekend!
So glad that you found me ... and that I could be of some help!
DeleteLovely post.
ReplyDeleteLove your images -- glad that now you can enjoy a car ride. I think it's much better to be the passenger than the driver. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing at Rural Thursdays. Great to meet you and I appreciate your participation, Kaeley.
BEAUTIFUL photos! It was hard to just pick ONE favorite! But, I loved your picture SO much that you were featured on the Sunday Snaps' link up! Come check it out HERE and grab a "featured" button from my right sidebar! Thanks so much for linking up and I hope to see you on next week's list!
ReplyDeleteSarah B Texas @ City Girl Gone Country
http://www.sarahbtexas.blogspot.com