End of Summer Travel Anyone?

Becoming a care package for myself

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

*This is something I wrote at the beginning of the summer, but hey maybe some folks will find this helpful for the end of summer too! (And of course there’s always time to think ahead for holiday travel. :P)

Well there I was at Target…

Getting ALL.THE.THINGS. because I was going away on a trip.

All the things—the lunch items, the digestives help items, easy dinner items-the spaghetti, the sauce, the veggie bratwurst. Then the buns, oh- juice, I forgot juice. The beans, the tortilla chips and ALL possible meals to keep my kids and husband nourished. We already have fruits and veggies at the house, so these are supplemental items- aka- easy access to food items that will probably get eaten first. I’ll come home to shriveled apples.

These items I’ve shopped for many times before, but now somehow they are as if I’m putting together a care package- except instead of sending the items somewhere, I’m sending myself away and all the items will remain in the house.

As I’m pondering the care that I’m putting into this “care package”, it dawns on me how earlier that week I had intentionally decided to not schedule anything the day before I was leaving and then the day I was arriving. Too many times before it seemed that simply because I’m not actually in-transit, that my brain would give a green light to any plan making as long as it wasn’t in the window of flying or driving somewhere.

Care package? I practically wondered outloud, opening the freezer door to grab veggie burgers, another easy dinner for the family. I felt an internal affirmation of way to go, Clara! I realized that in this trip I was actually making plans to care FOR MYSELF!

By NOT making plans the day before I leave and the day I arrive was like putting a literal buffer around myself as I send myself on this trip! I then realized that I wasn’t just the going that I had buffered myself, it was the returning too. NO plans except travel the day of departure and then the following day also. Bam!

This “buffering” brought my mind to the visual of how the latest Fiesta rainbow colored plate to match the bowl (of course), I’d ordered came in a package with those styrofoam peanuts (or was it those air pockets?) because it was fragile. These styrofoam peanuts (or air pockets) provide the cushion, of course, in case there is a rattling along the way from the sender to the receiver.

The protective packaging isn’t really as precaution because something that’s fragile WILL get rattled. So of course it makes sense to actually include the styrofoam peanuts (or air pockets) AS PART of the process of preparing for shipping!

…Going to the toiletry aisle- we needed more toilet paper, (yes lots of things can get clarified and processed on my solo errand runnings), I further pondered- so what about me?! Of course I’m also just as valuable- so of course I should ALSO include my own relevant styrofoam peanuts (or air pockets) when I’m sending myself somewhere too!

So, I further silently inquired reaching to grab some hamburger buns, what does that mean exactly? I’m valuable, but I’m not sure I’m fragile necessarily… So what does packing myself accordingly actually mean?

I mean I definitely put a lot of effort and time into the actual packing of clothes and books and toiletries and every other minutia of what I miiiight need. But interesting how I don’t really think about how I need to care for my energy or sense of well being during the excursion. I’ll even pack for my physical needs of course—the snacks, the bottle of mixed Advil and Tylenol, and maybe some allergy medicine or decongestant. But what about caring for my energy and peace of mind?

“Well”, my brain says to myself, “it means cushioning your time and energy. This means don’t schedule anything the day before I arrive, the day after I arrive, and the same on the return. It means I show up for a writing class. It means I take time to rest, to pause, to integrate myself, my being- from the inevitable rattling that happens on ANY trip”…Thanks brain! Wow- that was a productive trip to Target. Great self talk AND shopping done!

** Although this piece was inspired because of travel, I think the sentiment can hold true for any transition that we go through. Specifically now as we are shifting into new things again at this time of the year. Some are setting new goals to coordinate with a new season and some are setting new schedules to coordinate with kids going back to school.

As you feel your way into your new time, make sure you allow for space to get back on track. Of course it would be great if you could find a way to rest! (See my previous piece. “Sleep is not rest.”) But if you can’t find a way to rest, at least give yourself some grace because shifting takes energy- whether from travel or from schedule changes.