Uh, France!? **
Jeez, it feels like forever since I’ve written my rambling muses down for you to read. A lot has happened in the past two months.
For starters, I finished up my FINAL semester at Ohio State, which means I AM A GRADUATE. I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Engineering earlier in May (whooot whoot!).
Right after my last final, my best friend and I headed out on a road trip of epic proportions. Thanks to a “transformational education experience” grant that she received, we spent 34 days in my lovely Subaru, Whittaker Theodore Forester, traversing the Wide Wild West of the United States and Canada. Over our travels, we visited 24 national parks and countless cities. The sceneries and ecosystems I have seen, from artic desert to mountains to temperate forests to arid deserts to concrete jungles, are incredible (…and man, do I have some WILD stories).
Additionally, I have reached the 70% funded mark as I head towards training camp in the beginning of June. Shout-out to my amazing supporters, whether it is financially or spiritually, I would not be going without you!
I think one of the best lessons I have learned on this road trip hasn’t been that living with your best friend 24/7/34 isn’t sunshine and butterflies all the time (true, but it’s still pretty wonderful). Or that God is crazy creative and shows His love for us by making all of this cool stuff for us to enjoy (though that is also very true). Or even that peanut butter is LIFE.
No, it has been that kindness goes a LONG way. Over our time, we have met, traveled with, and stayed with an innumerable amount of really incredible people. Each one has blessed us through their kindness, whether it was a meal they bought, a bed they provided, or a conversation on the trail.
I don’t know that these people realized their impact, but just by being thoughtful of our balling-on-a-budget / haven’t-showered-or-slept-in-a-real-bed-in-days / the-last-five-meals-have-been-peanut-butter selves, we have been challenged to be a little kinder and give a little more to those we encounter.
One little example: early in the trip, back in Montana, we stayed with Alesha’s boyfriend’s uncle and aunt. In the morning, over breakfast, the uncle asked if we had anywhere to stay the next night at Glacier National Park (…our reservations were at the lovely, luxurious Walmart Bnb). He immediately whipped out his phone and called HIS uncle who lives close to the park to ask if we could stay with him that night. Although he didn’t know us at all, the uncle said yes, and so that night, we were treated to another home-cooked meal, showers, and real beds with my friend’s boyfriend’s mom’s sister’s husband’s uncle (whew.. even I’m confused). How crazy awesome is that?
Our motto on this trip was “no bad days”. So even when the weather was been cloudy, or mailing a passport application turns out to be WAY more complicated than expected, or we forgot to figure out accommodations after a 13 mile hike, we made the most out of each day. Our positive attitudes helped, but it is seriously due to the kindness of the people we have interacted with on this trip that each day is remembered with a warm, sunny feeling and we think that every day is the best day of our lives.
(If you’re one of the people who travelled with us, hosted us for a night or two, or met up with us on the trip: THANK YOU. We owe you so much for the experiences and memories you have helped us make. Much love to you.)
Kindness looks good on people, and it creates good for both the giver and the receiver. As this has been proved to me over and over, I want to be like these people moving forward. I want to be kinder. I want to seek out ways I can make someone’s life a little better. I want to buy some vagabond ice cream or give them my spare room to crash in. I want to give someone a compliment or remind them how much I love and appreciate them. You never know how what you say and do can affect someone. Honestly, being nice is easier than being selfish, so why not?
{Also, sorry if this feels like a kindergartener’s attempt to be deep but I’ve driven 19 hours in the past two days and I’m tired!}
**not actually, but comment if you get the reference!
