I’m sitting in the drive-in, drinking beer with my college friends, feeling all grown-up because I just turned 21 the day before and had been honorably discharged from the Navy a few months before. While watching the movie I occasionally looked up at the big full moon. It is just mind-boggling that a man is walking on the moon. It was July 20, 1969 and now it will soon be 50 years since man first stepped on the moon and it still boggles my mind.
What is also mind-boggling is that when you receive this newsletter school will be starting in a few short weeks. One of those good news/bad news events. The good news is the kids are out from under foot and back in school. The bad news is the expenses of putting them back in school.
So, where did you go to high school? Where do you live now? The notion is that we live in a highly mobile society and that people move a lot. Though that may be true in some states with huge population swings like California Florida and Texas, the numbers tell us that 85% of us live within 50 miles of where we graduated high school. I hate to admit I am not a high school graduate but I do live within 50 miles of the last high school I attended. Shoot, my office is within 3 miles of West High. So, I’m curious; do you live within 50 miles of your high school?
Speaking of high school, years ago, I drove a 15-passenger van with foreign exchange students through northern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. I thought it was absolutely beautiful and stunning. I would, while driving, occasionally exclaim, “Oh my! Look at that!” much to the terror of my wife, who then felt she needed to watch the road. This summer we drove 1,700 miles, to spend vacation with family, and another 10 hours to spend the weekend at the Hogan family reunion. I know I
could’ve choose to fly. I could’ve been packed in an airplane like a sardine and looked at as a number; to be treated rudely, poked and prodded by government agents while flying the “friendly skies.” NOW I remember why I drove! And now, looking back over the years of family vacations driving to numerous destinations, I wouldn’t trade that time for anything in the world.
Do you have any wonderful memories from your family vacations?
Lastly, did you take a vacation this summer? Sometimes I think they’re overrated. There’s nothing like driving four days, 1,700 miles, to spend four days with family, or 10 hours to spend one and a half days with family. I know I could’ve chosen to fly. I could’ve been packed in an airplane like a sardine and looked at as a number; to be treated rudely, poked and prodded by government agents. Maybe even beaten up and forcibly removed while flying “the friendly skies.” Now I remember why I drove! Years ago, I drove a 15-passenger van with foreign exchange students through northern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. I thought it was absolutely beautiful and stunning. I would, while driving, occasionally exclaim, “Oh my look at that!” much to the terror of my wife, who then felt she needed to watch the road. But then I looked in the rearview mirror and all the teens were sleeping because they stayed up most of the night talking. God love them. Now, looking back over the years of family vacations driving to numerous destinations, I wouldn’t trade that time for anything in the world.
