Country Roads

Sometimes country roads become pretty “rutty,” especially after a rain when drivers plow through the mud forming ruts. When the road dries, the “ruts” remain and when a driver travels the roads and a tire goes into the ruts, it’s hard to drive out of them. I have found sometimes there are days when a person gets caught in a rut and just can’t seem to drive out of it. Once in those “ruts,” there seems to be nothing special going on and a person finds himself or herself going over the everyday duties of life over and over again.

Recently those “ruts” in the road were causing me to long for something to get me out of the route. Then something occurred that got me into the “fast lane” of the roadway.

A trip to southeastern Kansas was called in celebration of Thanksgiving with the family. We stayed a few days with four younger adults, two college age and two high school age youths. Delicious food was enjoyed, games were played on the living room floor and a day was spent in Silver Dollar City walking, laughing, shopping, listening to music and viewing all the Christmas lights and scenery. There were plenty of photo opportunities including one showing the youth’s expressions as they took off on a roller coaster ride. My farmer husband and I tried our best to keep up with the family group. It was a day that will be remembered for years to come.

The best “fast lane” time was yet to come as the following morning all the family group planned for the home trip to be made. It ended up that a couple of the older family members wanted to remain for another day’s stay, but the college and high school youth needed to get home as they needed to be back to classes the next day. Since my farmer husband and I planned on returning home that day, the college and high school youths asked if they could ride home with us. Of course, we told them to load up. Believe me our car trunk had never been as full as it was that morning. The three youths were in the back seat and jokes, stories and laughter were shared on the six hour trip home. We learned a lot about their college and high school routes and studies. There were bathroom and snack stops that had to be made and, of cours,e a lunch stop for pizza. As the trip homeward continued, the youth would take turns stretching out as much as they could with legs in another’s lap and naps would occur.

Home safe and sound, we shared hugs and unloaded the trunk to watch them load up into their vehicles to continue the trip on to Fort Hays University, where they both shared they had a lot of homework they needed to catch up on yet that night. Oh, to be young again!

Now that I have had several days in the fun and exciting “fast lane,” I’m ready to get back into the “rut” once again.