My wife and I recently left Austin and drove west across Texas. Our SUV was filled with suitcases and small household items. In a few hours, we were west of Fredericksburg and joined I-10 where the speed limit was 80 mph through the barren Edwards Plateau. Spring rains had greened and flowered the normally sparse brown landscape. The occasional small Texas towns broke the monotonous landscape where gasoline stations and healthy restaurants were in short supply. We arrived at our west El Paso hotel by mid-afternoon, thanks to an extra hour gained with the switch to mountain time and little traffic.
The next morning, we continued our westward drive through the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona. We arrived in Tucson before noon where my older brother and wife warmly welcomed us into their adobe home. We celebrated his birthday and departed the next day after a delicious brunch. The terrain remained the same during our two-hour drive to Phoenix where we enjoyed dinner and breakfast with my uncle who will celebrate his 95th birthday this summer. It was a joy to have fellowship with a family member who has known me since birth and reflected God’s image during his long life.
We continued our westward journey through unending deserts and crossed into southern California. The traffic thickened and my pulse quickened as we approached Los Angeles. Within an hour, traffic meshed into stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper gridlock. We slowly made it over the Grapevine and stopped before dinner at a Holiday Inn Express. My hope rested in a gym workout to relieve the driving stress. Sadly, the hotel gym was closed, and my only choice was to walk circles around the dusty parking lot. Twenty laps later, I felt human again.
The next morning, we continued northward on I-5 through the San Joaquin Valley. The abundant winter and spring rains turned this normally dry valley into a verdant bounty of fruit, vegetable, and nut farms. Mile after mile revealed the abundance of America’s agriculture. Without water, this land would be a desert. With water, it feeds the world. The vistas of fertility were occasionally broken by large metal objects: dragons, cows, and other creatures. I wondered why humans build objects that detract from God’s creation. Do people really believe that their creations can compete with God’s? Such is the folly of our culture.
We arrived in San Jose in time for brunch with my cousins. Their hospitality knows no end as we laughed and dined together over the weekend. Sunday morning was spent worshipping in their beautiful church. We enjoyed fellowship outside on the church’s patio in temperate San Francisco Bay weather. No wonder the masses flocked to this paradise! We later drove to Palo Alto and visited with my aunt who turns 96 in a few months. Her movements have slowed but her love of family abounds. I have seen three nonagenarians on my father’s side of the family during this month. My hope is that their genes dominate within me!
We departed San Jose early Monday morning and rushed to beat the Bay Area commuter traffic. We succeeded and drove through northern California and Oregon. The temperatures cooled and we stopped only for gasoline and bathroom breaks. Our goal was to arrive in Portland before the afternoon rush hour. Although Portland traffic was heavy, we made it to southern Washington by 5pm. Our lovely hotel was next to the Columbia River where we walked before enjoying dinner overlooking the river. Evening temperature dropped into the 50’s, something our bodies were not acclimatized to after the long stretches of the southwest deserts.
The last day of our northward trek was pleasantly uneventful. We turned west north of Tacoma and arrived at the Port Angeles ferry before noon. After lunch, we boarded the Coho ferry to Victoria (BC) and drove into our condo parking garage before 5pm. We unloaded the SUV and after a grocery run, we ate dinner at home for the first time in over a week.
As I reflected on our 2500-mile trek across six large states, I was overwhelmed with the diversity and beauty of our country. Enchantment was felt in both fecundity and starkness. The original settlers through to our post-modern population prospered despite the vastness of the landscapes and climate extremes. God’s creation provides and humans are God’s entrusted stewards.
Second, goodness can be found wherever you venture. We were treated with love and kindness throughout our journey. Family homes were opened where agape love abounded. Hotels and restaurants graciously served strangers. Most drivers were courteous, although some needed to refresh their defensive driving skills. Despite our nation’s political divisions, people generally care for one another. The Spirit was present.
And third, humans need personal connection. During our journey, we listened to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s latest book: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. His book is a sobering analysis of the psychological damage of social media to children along with prudent recommendations. I sent a copy to my daughter who is raising three children.
The primary purpose of this journey was to travel to Vancouver Island to escape the Austin summer heat. However, the joy of the drive was visiting family along the way. Person-to-person connection is so important in a world that spends so much time connecting electronically. Breaking bread and reconnecting in-person with family and friends is fundamental to our being. God designed humans for community. While texting, emailing, and phoning are means of communication, in-person connection triumphs. Perhaps this is why God became flesh in Jesus Christ.
