So here I am, sitting at the departure gate in Asheville Regional Airport looking out at what has to be the nicest weather I’ve seen all week. Go figure that the good stuff comes out the day I leave.
It’s been an interesting half-day, I must admit. Before today I had been slightly disappointed with my so-called vacation. The weather sucked with a non-stop back to back drizzle fest, I caught a head-cold midweek, and spending more time with my slightly neurotic mother than was comfortable added up to be lackluster at best. It wasn’t until this morning when I woke up to the sounds of songbirds and the feeling of a cool breeze blowing over the mountains, through the window, and onto my face that time stood still long enough for me to understand why I came up here. Like the grand finale of a fireworks show, I was waiting and waiting for something magical to happen all week, and right up to the last possible moment of me calling it quits, did the magic happen. The smell of breakfast downstairs, along with high-contrast shadows of trees filtering through the windows lead to quite possibly one of the most relaxing mornings I’ve experienced so far. Hell, even my Mom acted normal.
The drive to the airport was filled with cool morning air, winding curves, and a sense of calm as I stared out the passenger window at the rushing trees and highway signage. At that moment I realized how the previous week didn’t matter anymore. I had finally gotten what I came for: a sense of pure relaxation and zen. Instead of taking 5-6 days, I received the entire package in a matter of hours. Even now, as I type this entry, I feel a sense of accomplishment and calmness one expects from a week off.
Hell, I’m even looking forward to coming back home.