Nashville is my Narnia

I drove over 300 miles home today. I made it in 4 1/2 hours because I didn't stop to eat or use the bathroom or anything. I just drove, staring at the seemingly endless miles and miles of road. I had a lot on my mind. It's been a long eight weeks of being in school. We're working to get everything ready for the walk. I got a giftcard to Dick's Sporting Goods and one to REI for my birthday. We've been trying to track down maps from AAA to plan a more specific route. Lauren's writing a proposal and a grant. We're all still in school. It's overwhelming.
These thoughts crowded my head as I drove. About 3 hours into the drive I realized I hadn't seen anything along the way. It was all a blur in my mind. I could remember the near-accident I had getting out of St. Louis and the semi-truck that caused it. I could remember looking at the exit to make sure I was driving the right way. I couldn't remember the color of the trees, or even if the trees had any color. Things just flew by.
I started thinking about opportunity cost. Going back to my micro-economic class in high school. It was a concept that people always had trouble with. The opportunity cost being the next best thing you'd lose for the choice you were making. What was my opportunity cost for this walk? Studying abroad. I knew it instantly. That was what I would be giving up. Sure, there are other things I'm giving up, but this is the first one. It's my opportunity cost.
There is something so exciting to me about the unknown. The beauty of something being new and different that I expect to find when I travel outside the United States.
And then, as I was driving, I hit my favorite part of the journey. This one little section, right inside the Davidson County limits. It's Joelton. There are winding roads down and inside the hills. The trees loom and protect, offering comfort and wisdom as they stand tall. It all went by so quickly. The more the roads wound and deepened, the more mystery and excitement I felt. It was new, it was fresh. I felt as Lucy did, falling through the back of the cupboard. The furher in she went, the wider her eyes grew. At her fingertips was a world she never knew was there.
Nashville is my Narnia. Behind the roads and streets I know so well from living here 21 years is a world I have yet to experience. And if Nasvhille can be my Narnia, why not the United States. Why not that newness and freshness and beauty in the world right around me?

There's so much to do, and to be quite honest I'm nervous about getting it all done. Jonathan's setting up an account for people to be able to donate money. We're hoping it can be accessible this week. I'm trying to find maps between my travelling from St. Louis to Nashville and back and St. Louis to Ohio later this week. Matt's finishing up a current project at school that has to be gotten out of the way. Lauren's writing a grant.

Life is full.

Sigh.