Yesterday my mom and I set out on a scenic tour of the city I grew up in. We started out at Navarre Beach and took the beach road all the way to Pensacola Beach. We stopped several times in the National Sea Shore and I ventured into the white sandy desert to take pictures. We stopped in Gulf Breeze and had lunch at one of my favorite old haunts and even took some back roads. We ended the scenic tour in downtown Pensacola where we used to spend a great deal of time. My mom made the long trek on a daily basis to shuttle me to theatre and dance. As we drove down the old familiar streets that used to be a part of our daily routine, we were shocked by the transformation that has taken place. Then again it has been years since we last set foot there, and I have to admit it isn't the only thing that has changed. Back then I wanted to be a Broadway star and sing in the spotlight. I hadn't met any of the people I now call my best friends. I weighed about 90 pounds soaking wet. I was about as flexible as a rubber band. The hardest thing I had to face was hitting the high note in "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow" or how to solve for "x" in an equation.
Nowadays, life is much more complicated. But I find that it is far more fulfilling that way. Now it's not so much about what I want to be when I grow up, but if I am happy with the person I already am. Now I spend countless hours singing for the bathroom mirror or the steering wheel, but the high notes aren't as hard to hit anymore. The dramatic middle school relationships I once wrestled with now only exist within the four walls of my classroom, and I have real, solid friendships to turn to when times get tough. These days, running three miles wears me out far more than eight hours of dancing ever could, but the exhilaration I feel when it's all said and done is pretty similar. Being flexible has taken on an entirely new meaning in my life: it means being able to juggle any number of things all at once. And as far as solving for "x", I'm pretty sure I could teach someone how to do that now.
So, all in all, that scenic tour was pretty beneficial. Rodney Adkins pretty much hit the nail on the head when he sang about how that back road can help you get lost and get right with you soul...
Nowadays, life is much more complicated. But I find that it is far more fulfilling that way. Now it's not so much about what I want to be when I grow up, but if I am happy with the person I already am. Now I spend countless hours singing for the bathroom mirror or the steering wheel, but the high notes aren't as hard to hit anymore. The dramatic middle school relationships I once wrestled with now only exist within the four walls of my classroom, and I have real, solid friendships to turn to when times get tough. These days, running three miles wears me out far more than eight hours of dancing ever could, but the exhilaration I feel when it's all said and done is pretty similar. Being flexible has taken on an entirely new meaning in my life: it means being able to juggle any number of things all at once. And as far as solving for "x", I'm pretty sure I could teach someone how to do that now.
So, all in all, that scenic tour was pretty beneficial. Rodney Adkins pretty much hit the nail on the head when he sang about how that back road can help you get lost and get right with you soul...
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