Maybe You Can Go Home Again

I never thought I’d go back.

Growing up on the Western coast of Michigan made for a pretty idyllic childhood, and it will absolutely always be “home” to me.

However, as I grew older and went away (not only for college but also preparatory school before that), the ties to my home city weakened. When the last of my family moved to Florida a few years ago, I was sure that my hometown would be the last place that would fit into my travel plans.

Then, my family moved back. Then, my sister was getting married. Then, I was in the wedding.

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Suddenly, not only was I headed back home but headed back on a whirlwind tour to a place I never really thought I’d see again with literally all of the nostalgia and sudden importance dripping from each and every turn.

The first morning in Michigan, I messed with my GPS until it finally decided to take me the route my dad always drove. On the way, I called an audible on the breakfast location when I saw the place where I spent my 11^th birthday.

Later, we drove past my childhood home and gassed up at one of my first summer jobs.

Throughout the entire trip, decisions started by following similar patterns: Where we went, what we did and where we ate were dependent on childhood experiences and the desire to share those with my own children today.

Yet, the eyes which saw these places were not the childhood eyes that had seen those locations before. Instead, a new perspective unfolded that wasn’t just clinging to old memories, but an appreciation for what was new and a desire to have my family enjoy the trip not just as a kindness to me, but to make memories of their own as well.

Today’s travel trends seem to be sending people to far-flung places on the globe. Bucket lists are getting crossed off at ever-increasing paces. Social media is filled with people turning travel goals into travel realities.

More power to them! Save me a spot on those trips!

It’s important to remember, though, that travel is not finite. It is not a to-do list to be checked off. It’s a lifetime of exploration, enjoyment and constantly seeing the world through brand new eyes that had not seen even the most familiar of destinations in quite that way before.

Because, even as the world is a constantly changing place, so too are the people that live there.