LIVING THE SWEET LIFE

By Alisa Murray www.AlisaMurray.com Nationally recognized portrait artist and award-winning columnist.

Living the Sweet Life: Finding What You Might Have Missed

Hey Sweet Lifers! During a roadtrip back from North Carolina, it struck me as we were wandering around in the Blue Ridge Parkway and through various states, there’s a lot of things you miss when you fly. Things that you should stumble upon and allow yourself some time to enjoy . . . others that make you wonder, just well . . . wonder. How did this become a “thing?” The time involved in traveling over the years has been the thing that encouraged that flight, and I’ll be the first to appreciate the convenience, especially with small children. However, time taken to get from place to place, I have recently discovered is some of the best time spent. Mainly to think and occasionally to find stuff that you might be missing. Take, for example, the ducks that seemed to gather around me and want to have my company alongside their pond. When they realized I was not packing any food, they stayed and talked and were quite nice, reminding me of the summers of my childhood feeding them with Granny and Big Daddy. Memories flooding back of happy times when each day was filled with wonder and fun that did not cost a thing.

Then there were the winding roads with canopy trees and the sunroof down, Van Halen tunes, “You might as well jump” blaring as the clouds casted shadows through gleaming sun rays on the dash. The smell of fresh air and honeysuckle heavy and not another soul on the road.

Silence passing for hours to let the mind rest without the worry of a lost piece of luggage, a cooler in the backseat filled with crisp apples and cookies and, of course, chocolate. Eventually, around the bend in small towns, with little glimpses of towns that has passed them by. Once bustling with neighbors and churches full, small children and farms and life being lived…well, quite sweet! It made me think a lot about these last years as so many of us have had too many changes. Others have been trying to find what they might have missed.

I discovered that I no longer need to fly, and in fact, I might choose to never do that again. I also realized that given time to wander, not only do you find new things like the cast iron factory alongside the road (who knew?), but you rediscover many things that as you’re in the rushed days of hustling, you really do miss. The ducks, the sunshine, the peace that comes with basking in the silence of a car with some snacks and being in the presence of the people you love. That my dears is “Living the Sweet Life!”

Take care of YOU and stay “sweet!”