Travel with Terri
Life’s a Trip!
By Terri Marshall
Once while driving on the backroads of Vermont in autumn, my friends and I passed a pasture filled with bales of hay wrapped in white plastic. The bales were lined up in a single row and each had a letter painted on it spelling out “cow marshmallows” – a sight you don’t see everyday – so we pulled off the road, climbed the fence to the pasture and went for a stroll on top of the cow marshmallows! On a California trip while driving the Pacific Coast Highway, I detoured onto a side road to see where it led and discovered one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Turns out it was Pfeiffer Beach, the location of the love scenes in the movie “From Here to Eternity”. A detour in Ireland in County Kerry led my boyfriend and me to a herd of cattle meandering down the road on their evening walk back to the barn and creating a most unusual traffic jam. In Alaska after spending a week standing in meadows and hiking through woods in search of a moose – and finding only moose droppings – my best friend and I turned onto a street in Anchorage for one last drive before heading to the airport to find a moose waiting for us in the road. Each of these trips was researched and scheduled, but it was the unexpected detours and discoveries that made each journey special. I believe life is a lot like traveling – the unexpected detours and experiences our lives take make the journey much more rewarding!
My life began in the Deep South and this Southern girl now calls New York City home. There are Civil War cannons at the entrance to the hospital where I was born in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia and Grant’s Tomb is located just blocks from my apartment in Manhattan. In between these years I have experienced numerous detours from the planned journey. I have learned to accept and appreciate the discoveries along the way and I often feel as if I have lived more than one life!
Married to my high school sweetheart at 18 with two babies by the time I was 21, it seemed the plan for my life was set out like a carefully planned itinerary. But after 25 years of marriage I detoured into unfamiliar territory and began life as a single woman. I had no GPS and no guide book – and many of my closest friends and family members thought I had truly lost my mind – but through all the twists and turns, I found my way to a new life.
Although my life is much different now than I ever imagined, it is filled with a beautiful blend of the old and new. This year I celebrated (and mourned) my 50th birthday. One of my birthday celebrations was in Orlando, Florida where I lived for many years. Each person at the party was asked to tell the story of how they knew me and as I listened to these stories I realized how very lucky I am. The room was filled with friends and family representing at least seven locations and spanning all five decades of my life. Another birthday celebration was held in New York on my birthday eve and once again I was reminded of just how lucky I am to know so many wonderful people from so many places and times.
Despite the twists and turns and unexpected detours of our lives, I believe we have to have some constants in our journey. For me those constants are my family and my best friend of over 25 years. These are the people who have known me the longest and with whom I have experienced so much of my life. My children are in this category. They are my pride and joy and I poured my heart and soul into them working tirelessly to ensure they had the lives they deserved.
My son, Chris, was born when I was just nineteen. Chris proved to be a scholar and an athlete and I have had the privilege of seeing him grow into a man who would make any mother proud. A graduate of the University of Florida, Chris is now a builder in Houston, Texas. He has a beautiful wife and two absolutely gorgeous children. My first grandchild, Katherine, was born 3 years ago while I was on a cross-country road trip with my best friend, Nancy. At the exact moment she was born, Nancy and I were watching a herd of buffalo cross a snowy river in Yellowstone National Park – one of those unexpected experiences of my travels. Katherine is (of course) beautiful and when she calls me “Ter Bear” I melt. Her not-so-little brother, Marshall, was born last December. His huge blue eyes and constant smile would warm anyone’s heart. Seeing my son as a devoted dad fills me with indescribable joy and pride…and gratitude.
My daughter, Jennifer, can make me laugh like no one else. She has been a source of entertainment and joy in my life since her birth. She has a wonderful devoted husband and on November 18th – their fourth wedding anniversary – their first child, Benjamin, joined our family. I am just getting to know this beautiful baby boy but I am in love with him already. As I write this, I am on a plane returning to New York after visiting them to help them adjust to a newborn in their home. Watching my daughter in her first days as a mother has proven to be one of my life’s most precious experiences. Now she truly understands the unconditional love I have always felt for her.
I thought after my marriage ended that I would never truly love again until another unexpected detour led me to Greg. Nine years younger than me and a native New Yorker with a mixed race background, no planned itinerary could have ever brought this Southern girl to Greg but I am so happy I detoured down this road. We have spent the last two years getting to know each other and developing our relationship into something truly unique and special and I would not trade anything for this experience.
So my friends, I encourage you to turn off that GPS and travel down your life’s road embracing the detours that come your way. When one road ends, take another. You never know what unexpected sights and experiences are waiting for you. Happy trails to all!
Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at www.examiner.com where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at www.barzz.net. You can contact Terri at terri.marshall60@gmail.com.