The Spiritual Power of Road Trips
Leaving the rear-view visions behind
If I had to use one word to describe road trips, it would be freedom. It’s something I’ve been searching for most of my life. The first sense of this came on my 16th birthday. I couldn’t wait to have my license, as it felt like I finally had permission to go farther than my two-wheeled bicycle would take me.
I was lucky. I got my driver’s license on the very day I turned sixteen and my parents gave me my first car six months later. In my little brown Honda Civic, I would explore the back roads surrounding my hometown. The curvier the better. I could travel to nearby bigger cities and the moment I crossed the county line, I felt I could be whoever I wanted to be, without the watchful eyes of the neighbors.
I bought my first car, a red Mustang, at the beginning of my senior year of high school. Six months later, I embarked on my first big road trip during spring break.
A friend and I traveled from northern California to Phoenix, Arizona. One of my best male friends lived there, and I had plans to attend the university in the fall. Little did I know then, it would change my life forever.
My friend got injured while we were there. She tried some drugs at a party, which affected her badly. She jumped into a ditch while running…
