Sad but True

My wife is in California today. She originally had plans to go to Michigan to visit her parents for a few days. However, her parents are stuck in Nashville. And since the airline won’t refund her money for the plane ticket, she had no choice but to choose another destination.

So Sacramento it is.

This might not seem too odd of a thing, but my wife is not the adventurous type. She is not the sort of person who revels in solidarity — hours spent on a plane with strangers, days in a hotel with no one to talk to, sightseeing and eating alone; these are not her forte. So, for her to up and jump on a plane and travel to a city where she knows no one is a bit of a leap.

I suppose her financial pragmatism sets off her penchant for xenophobia though. The thought of losing the money she already spent on the ticket because of some proverbial wrench thrown into her plans scares her far more than a strange city ever could. But that is my projecting onto her something based on who she has been.

And while I don’t believe this experience will change her worldview, it’s a step. Tomorrow she turns 25, and perhaps to usher in that new year of adulthood, she is branching out, growing.

To be honest, I am a bit jealous. I travel far too little, and when I hear about others doing so it gives me wanderlust. Traveling helps us grow. It helps us branch out and understand others perspective and what life is like in other places. It helps us reserve judgment where we would otherwise rely on stereotypes. I think the trip will be good for her. I think we all have a tendency to do what is comfortable, which often causes us to miss out on meeting new people and experiencing new things.

It’s unfortunate but true.

_____