Welcome Home?

TRAVEL THERE: THEN TRAVEL HERE – HOME

I love my home.  That’s where my cat and dog live.  My desktop computer is on a secure network, so I can let it remember my passwords.  My favorite foods are in the pantry.  All my clothes are hanging in the closet ready to wear.  My backyard is a paradise.  I also love to travel.  It’s great to see new things, eat new foods and meet new people.

A Difference of Opinion

My beloved husband doesn’t feel the way I do.  Oh, he likes the new things, new foods and new people, but he’d rather sleep on his own bed.  By the third day of any trip he’s completely over traveling, but it takes that long for me to let go of what was happening at home and get into the swing of things on the road.  It’s amazing we’re still married.

We got home from our latest trip to Oregon a couple of days ago, but  I just finished unpacking all the bags.  The washer and dryer are working overtime.  The empty luggage is sitting at the bottom of the stairs to remind me to carry it up next time I head up.  My dog is still watching me carefully to see if I display signs of leaving again anytime soon.

Is leaving home really worth it?  The pile of snail mail on my kitchen counter was about eight inches high.  Even though I’d been able to check my email a few times, I still had almost 300 new items in my inbox.  There were almost 200 new blog posts waiting for me in google reader.  Then there was facebook, twitter, klout, linked in and comments on my blog.  It took me a whole day just to shuffle through it all.

There were also my elderly parents.  I’d checked in with them every day by phone while I was away and counseled my mom through a small dental crisis.  Still, she actually cried when I called to let her know I was on the ground at DFW.  How’s that for a guilt trip?

As I arrived home and opened the door of my husband’s sport’s car in our garage, I could hear my dog yelping pitifully.  The familiar roar of the engine and the clattering garage door alerted Precious that this was not just the girl next door coming to feed her.  This was mom.  Princess, the cat, ignored us for several hours to express her displeasure.

I’d used my spare time for weeks on end planning the trip.  It had taken days to decide what to carry with me and pack it away in the bags the airlines would allow me to carry.  It’s taking even more days to get back in the swing of things.  I’m scared to find out just how much money the twelve day road trip has actually cost us.

So, why do I go through it all and put my poor husband through the agony?  Why do I spend the money and waste all that time?  Why do I upset my pets and create stress for my elderly parents?  Why don’t I stay home and avoid all the catching up I have to do when I return?

I do it because I have to.  I can’t imagine a life where I’m not looking forward to my next vacation.  The time away energizes me to handle the trivialities of my daily grind and see beyond the grueling details.  What about you?  Are you the traveler in your family or are you the one who would prefer to sleep in your own bed every night?