This past summer, my family and I went on a beach vacation. When I came back, my camera roll was filled with mountain ranges, cabin villages and black bears.
The beach is my happy place. It calms my soul and heals my skin. There is peace with the sound of the waves crashing and the stinging salt water is a natural medicine. During our planned trip, we had so many excursions waiting for us. We were going to try a seafood boil, take a carriage ride, go on a boat tour and ultimately immerse ourselves within the culture of a coastal town. Â
However, these feelings were not reached, and the activities were never completed. Instead, we left. Peace stopped. Chaos evolved.
I can officially say I ran away from a hurricane. However, this isn’t the first time; t’s the second. Crazy enough, every time I start something new, a hurricane chases us away. When I started kindergarten, we celebrated by going to Ocean City (ended four days early). When I started college, we celebrated by going to Isle of Palms (ended six days early). Â
It was disappointing to leave, especially because we only spent one day there. We were angry, confused and down. Nothing feels good when it’s cut short, sports games when the rain comes, TV shows that cancel, calls when your phone dies. But why do we have to cut it short? We drove all the way down here. Shouldn’t we at least try to turn things around? Â
Unexpectedly, without a plan, we explored so much. From beach to city to mountains, our trip included all the popular vacation destinations. We drove from Isle of Palms to Greenville, South Carolina, to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. We ran from the hurricane, but it did not chase us back home. We were not ready for something out of our control to dictate our vacation and peace.
Sudden change is inevitable. You can either run back home and hide from it or embrace it. Make the most out of unplanned occurrences. Changes are meant to be felt with all the emotions. But they are also meant to be dealt with. There is so much out there that is unknown.
While it wasn’t what was expected, the trip was still beautiful. I zip lined through pine trees, took a jeep tour up the mountain and drank some crazy milkshakes.
We explore so much more when we are just let free. Don’t know where to go? Just start driving. Somehow you might just end up in the mountains staying in a cozy cabin and seeing black bears roam the streets regularly.