World Race and the Single Parent of an Only Child
I hate the phrase single parent. I’m not single, I have a family, it just looks different than some others.
My racer has been pretty much my entire life for about 20 years. Everything I’ve done has been with/for/through/about my daughter. Launch was devastating for me, partly because she didn’t seem devastated.
As I set off on the 12-hour drive home with tears in my eyes I kept remembering all of the talk at launch meetings about Adventures and New Beginnings and Change. I stopped in Birmingham, Alabama for the night and decided to do a quick hike with the dog before getting back on the road. I had read in a brochure in the hotel room of a mountain that overlooked the city. I hadn’t hiked in over 20 years, I knew I couldn’t make it to the top, I just wanted to get the dog some good exercise on a nice easy walk.
As we got further into the mountain hikers and runners I passed encouraged me to “keep going” “You’re not there yet” “Keep going, It’s so worth it”. We finally made it! It WAS so worth it. As I stopped and drank in God’s beauty I thought how appropriate this moment was. I had not done anything without my daughter in over 20 years. And here I was on top of a mountain….without her.
The remainder of the trip home took a few days, I decided to stop and see things I would never have done by myself before; landmarks, attractions, nature spots, trails, speaking to random people and hearing their stories. That trip had a lasting impact on me, on my soul.
I now take random trips around my state enjoying God’s creations at least twice a month, it helps that I have the dog that loves outdoor adventure, and now that my racer is back, she joins us when she can.
Leaving my racer at launch to embark on The World Race was not only a life-changing adventure for her, but it ended up being a life-changing adventure for me as well. I conquered a mountain…in so many ways. A Mountain!
