I am departing from the heavy thoughts of what took place in Upstate New York for now because frankly I'm weary and still processing it all and will comment on some of my observations and annoyances of the past week away.
Traveling on highways has never been completely easy or without peril but this past week has really illuminated how insane many drivers are these days. Speed limits are not only unobserved, for the most part, but they are basically scoffed at. As we were about to fling ourselves onto the Delaware bridge on I-95 which by the way has a 50 MPH posting I noticed two police cars planted in the median. I was doing something reasonably close to 50 and watched as cars flew by not only me but the two police cars. I have to believe these officers must have been making dinner plans or just enjoying the rest because I never so much as saw a shudder from those two cars. Perhaps they were suffering from writer's cramp as for every car that was doing something even remotely approaching the speed limit, there had to be 4 or 5 flying by with their tires barely making contact with the pavement.
This brings to my mind one question; What is everyone in such a hurry for? You could pick almost any portion of I-95 and be amazed at the sheer disregard for life or safety by an astounding number of drivers. I will never question how parts of I-95 can be completely shut down due to a 1000 car pile-up. Speeding is of epic proportions now and unless car manufacturers or our wonderful liberating government takes some sort of action it will continue. Perhaps this is a covert attempt at population control. So I guess my point here, if there is a point to be derived, is driving on any major interstate highway these days is not for the meek. I would close by telling you what my wife said about traveling on the highways but suffice it to say she will be flying most everywhere in the future no matter what the cost.
Another thing I realized this trip is I really miss the North. I know the winters are extreme and long but I miss it. I also know the economy is stagnant there and jobs are few and far between but I miss it. I miss the more relaxed life. I miss not being able to take a drive on a quiet road and just enjoy my surroundings. I miss the clean fresh air and the beautiful majestic mountains of the Adirondacks. Mostly I miss the ability to achieve solitude if one seeks it.
I know I should not complain. I live a good life all in all, taking into account that economic stress is bearing on me a bit as it is many but I have a great deal to contemplate and be thankful for. I have a great family. I have a wife that I look so forward to growing old with and I have a daughter and sons that I am proud of . I may not have a lot of "things" but what I do have can never be taken from me and that is my family. I also have a church family that is a vital extension of my own family. They are always there to encourage me and to help me and to strengthen my faith. So thanks be to God for all that I do have!
Back to traveling as I was beginning to drift away from point which is a signature of mine. I used to be very unapologetically cruel to Northerners about lack of courtesy. I have rethought this attitude a bit. I noticed when I was in the North this time that people are people. You do have a mixture of friendly folks and rude folks no matter where you live. There is a hard edge to many in the North that may be interpreted, at first glance, as rudeness. If you talk to these people you will probably find out they are very friendly after all. The tough environment of the North, I think, can draw people into a sort of survival mode that can be misinterpreted. So what I'm saying is many in the North may not make a first impression of being amiable but if you actually spark a conversation you will probably learn otherwise.
I know there is more to think on about my recent travels and more to process and as I do I will impart my small slice of wisdom upon all who dare venture down that treacherous path. For now, I am weary, both physically and mentally so I must now search for some solitude of my own.
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