A Sojourn: Reflections

I've given a brief and superficial overview of my experience on the road across a large portion of the United States. Most of my commentary was designed to give you, the reader, a quick glimpse into the events that transpired. In this last piece, I'd like to dig a little deeper into what I learned from the experience. First, and probably the most cliche', is if you put your mind to something, you can do it. Going across the country in a cramped car is not easy. Further, doing so with limited funds and entertainment is even more daunting. But that's what made the experience all the more memorable. The more difficult it felt, the more of a bond it created with those who joined you on the trip and along the way. Second, in this case, it is both the journey and the destination. On the journey, I discovered a lot about what this country is about. I always had an image of the different regions of the country being very defined, like once you cross a certain border, then all of the citizens will, generally, be very similar as far as living life. However, in spite of whatever regional differences there may be, we are essentially the same and look for many of the same things in life, namely happiness. I made it a point to talk to a local in every state to get their take on life in their state, their lives in general, and their perspective on the nation. Our opinions varied from state to state, but our underlying desires were fairly similar. Whether in the "Bible Belt" of Oklahoma/Texas, or the liberal bastions of Berkeley and Northern California, we all (for the most part) want to be happy. This may be simplistic, but for a long time I was convinved that a lot of people never wanted to be happy. They were sick of "happy". They looked for other things that replaced "happy". Inevitably finding those things made them happy, so, wouldn't that make my conclusion hold some water? In a lot of ways I found happiness in fulfilling a life goal to travel and see the nation. But I also gained happiness from seeing the people I care about the most at some point along the way. And that is what matters to me.