That Journey to Adulting

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Traveling for Grown-Ups

My now full of travel world has opened up so much amazingness in my life. I know, amazingness is probably not an approved Scrabble word, but I like it a lot 🙂. I was lucky enough to have two different but equally amazing experiences in 2022. Strangely, both experiences had a common thread. This could be because my Mom was there, but I think it’s because I finally got the courage to really get to know adults. 

You might be asking yourself why I would say this when, technically, I am an adult. Well, that’s relative, isn’t it? Our lives throw us into the adult world as twenty-somethings. We don’t really get the chance to learn how to relate to adults until we are expected to be a fully grown one. This is why I’m grateful for the two experiences. I met people without the comfort of my friends. I met them with a surprisingly open mind. That’s why I have so much to tell you about both of these travel experiences.

One of These Nights

The first part of my journey gave me an opportunity to experience one of my passions. I attended a concert with my Mom (baby steps 🙂). Even though I didn’t travel far, I did get to experience a concert with a completely new group of people listening to music I would not necessarily choose on my own. One of the bands my Mom loves is the Eagles. I love them, too, but not enough to get friends together and buy tickets. I wanted to go with her anyway, though. Life is short. Time with my Mom is precious. 

My Mom had the opportunity to attend the Eagles concert with some of her coworkers. She decided to bring me with her. I was her plus one. The concert was great. We were in a special part of the arena where we had food and drinks available. This made it easy to get to know her coworkers in a relaxed and fun environment. The awesome thing about this experience wasn’t just the concert itself but the opportunity to meet really fun adults. 

Before the shift in my life started in late 2021, when I thought of my Mom’s coworkers, it was all serious business. It was like they weren’t human like me. Big surprise! They actually are a lot more like me than I thought. They treated me like a colleague and not just someone’s kid. The experience helped me see that we can make human connections in unexpected ways. 

Assumptions

This probably sounds like basic adulting changes, and I guess they are, but I knew things were different in the moment. That’s what makes it amazing. I knew it then and I know it now. I knew I was recognizing things about myself as I was learning about people. I had been assuming that they were just like my Mom because they do similar jobs. I also assumed that they would assume things about me. They didn’t.

Honestly, my assumptions about them were just wrong. Not only are they human, but they have lives that are no more serious or complicated than mine. Everyone has their shit. And before my perspectives started shifting, I didn’t feel worthy of being an equal with people who I thought had lives that were so “grown up” that they had no time for someone like me. I was judging myself too harshly and giving them power that they weren’t seeking. I only punish myself when I assume that people labeled by society as very successful in life are more worthy of space in the world than I am. 

I shared a great evening with people that love my Mom. People that now care about me because of her and because they just care. I’ve always cared what people thought about me more than I worried about caring for them. Now, I see how awesome it is to be caring and kind and just have a good time. I met a new kind of role model that night. We drank and sang and danced. It was an unexpected and surprising night that taught me about human connection in a whole new way. I’ll be forever grateful to my Mom, her colleagues, and to the Eagles for an unforgettable night.

Life Is A Highway

Road trips with me are awesome. I never have to stop to pee (except after that second Monster Pipeline Punch drink). And if you have to, I’m good with that, too, because road trip convenience stores are fascinating. The people in them are so eccentric and interesting. Sometimes in a serial killer kind of way, and other times in a “I can’t believe how nice people are” kind of way. Such a fascinating human paradox. All right there in the Buc-ee’s.

When I started taking the time to notice all of the ordinary simple things around me while traveling, I realized how unordinary they really are. Besides The Eagles concert, my trip to Amarillo, Texas was one of the first times where I really felt this new sense of awareness. I realized how big and beautiful open spaces are and also saw how connected we all are at the same time.

I’m now a huge fan of the Autograph Collection by Marriott hotels. This is because of Amarillo. Who knew that one of the most modern but quaint versions of this Collection would be in this part of the world? Someone thought Amarillo was special enough for this awesome hotel, and they were right. I even bought a signature candle because it just smelled like discovering the good life. I’m making this a lifelong quest to see and stay at as many of these hotels as I can.

Big Town, Small City

Amarillo is surprisingly like a big city. It’s not how it looks, but what is hidden in there that shows its big city flair. I had some of the best food I have ever eaten. I’m pretty sure that it will always be some of the best. Where else can you get a Wagyu steak that is chicken fried? Maybe you have been lucky enough to have this somewhere else, but it’s also conveniently located in Amarillo. In a store front that has no big sign or advertisement, is a restaurant that is truly a hidden gem. 

If you ever have the opportunity to leave the Interstate, you will discover that the best steak in Amarillo (and probably all of the Southwest) is at a little spot downtown called O.H.M.S. Cafe & Bar. This stands for On Her Majesty’s Service, and I’m telling you all it is majestic. Our dining experience was so great that there really are no words that do it justice. The appetizers, main dishes, and desserts are all so rich and flavorful. When the food is unreal, the drinks are plenty, and the company is enjoying life at that very moment just like me, life is so amazingly good.

So, let me tell you about the company. I spent the weekend with some of my Mom’s friends who live in Amarillo. They are hi-lar-i-ous. They are so funny and witty that it was hard to keep up. Who knew that fifty-somethings could be that sharp? I guess I was a true unenlightened Zillennial before 2022 because, just like a lot of us, I thought I just knew. But, these people have stories and experiences and so much life to share. I had stuff to share, too, and they listened. They didn’t nod politely and wait their turn, or just say “that’s nice”. They liked what I had to say and laughed a lot with me.

Sharing Places

Please don’t miss out on the opportunities to sit with Gen X’ers and Boomers. Give them a chance to share their stories with you. Appreciate the places they live and let them show you all of the parts of them that are awesome. Pay attention and connect. It’s an experience that is never a waste of time.

I learned so much on these short trips. That older adults have so much to teach me about life if I just slow down and listen. I can be a part of adult conversations. They are just as fun as the ones I have with my friends. I learned that they don’t judge me like I assumed they would. Telling them that I want to spend my twenties seeing the world and trying to discover if my passions can be threaded into my adult life is something that they wanted to hear about. They didn’t just tell me to go get a good job and settle down or roll their eyes. Not one of them. They fully supported me and told me that my life is worthy of a great twenty-something experience.

These experiences helped me get here. A place where my stories aren’t scary even when they are. A place where being an adult is not a fixed in time result but a continuation of life that changes and transforms. I get to go and meet and visit people that have so much to teach me. People who don’t even realize that they are amazing teachers will become a part of my life. I can’t wait to tell you about all of them.

There are so many highways waiting for me…

Find “Turn It Up!” on the Poems page