Ever since my daughter started college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania back in 2000, I have had the pleasure of visiting my children and my niece in seven different states.
Blacksburg , Virginia
Columbia South Carolina
El Paso, Texas
Lawton, Oklahoma
Richmond, Ky
Manhattan, Kansas
Auburn, Alabama
Many people would not necessarily call these locations travel destinations. But I know that they are wonderful places to visit and get to know. I've enjoyed eating where the locals eat and seeing how each location celebrates the Christmas holidays. I've visited museums, art or history, in most places they have lived. And let's not forget the marvelous zoos. Or how the stars just seem to sparkle brighter in the night sky in Kansas and Texas.
Road trips have allowed me to see some beautiful states on the way to these destinations. The mountains of western Maryland and West Virginia are breathtaking. The miles of farmland in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri are a wonderful site in the summer time. North Carolina , Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi give you the opportunity to meet some friendly folks and taste some delicious sweet tea. I am amazed at how delicious and varied the pulled pork and BBQ is in the different states.
This Christmas when we were traveling out to visit Theresa and Andy, I heard a song by Jason Aldean called "Fly Over States". The lyrics speak eloquently of those states I've had the pleasure of visiting.
"Fly Over States" Jason Aldean
(http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jasonaldean/flyoverstates.html)
A couple of guys in first class on a flight
From new York to Los Angeles,
Kinda making small talk killing time,
Flirting with the flight attendants,
30, 000 feet above, could be Oklahoma,
Just a bunch of square cornfields and wheat farms,
Man, it all looks the same,
Miles and miles of back roads and highways,
Connecting little towns with funny names,
Who'd want to live down there in the middle of nowhere,
They've never drove through Indiana,
Met the men who plowed that earth,
Planted that seed, busted his ass for you and me,
Or caught a harvest moon in Kansas,
They'd understand why god made those fly over states,
I bet that mile long Santa Fe freight train engineer's seen it all
Just like that flatbed cowboy stacking US steel on a 3-day haul
Road and rails under their feet
Yeah that sounds like a first class seat
On the plains of Oklahoma
With a windshield sunset in your eyes
Like a watercolored painted sky
You'll think heaven's doors have opened
You'll understand why god made
Those fly over states
Take a ride across the badlands
Feel that freedom on your face
Breathe in all that open space
Meet a girl from Amarillo
You'll understand why god made
You might even want to plant your stakes
In those fly over states
Have you ever been through Indiana
On the plains of Oklahoma
Take a ride.
From new York to Los Angeles,
Kinda making small talk killing time,
Flirting with the flight attendants,
30, 000 feet above, could be Oklahoma,
Just a bunch of square cornfields and wheat farms,
Man, it all looks the same,
Miles and miles of back roads and highways,
Connecting little towns with funny names,
Who'd want to live down there in the middle of nowhere,
They've never drove through Indiana,
Met the men who plowed that earth,
Planted that seed, busted his ass for you and me,
Or caught a harvest moon in Kansas,
They'd understand why god made those fly over states,
I bet that mile long Santa Fe freight train engineer's seen it all
Just like that flatbed cowboy stacking US steel on a 3-day haul
Road and rails under their feet
Yeah that sounds like a first class seat
On the plains of Oklahoma
With a windshield sunset in your eyes
Like a watercolored painted sky
You'll think heaven's doors have opened
You'll understand why god made
Those fly over states
Take a ride across the badlands
Feel that freedom on your face
Breathe in all that open space
Meet a girl from Amarillo
You'll understand why god made
You might even want to plant your stakes
In those fly over states
Have you ever been through Indiana
On the plains of Oklahoma
Take a ride.
You might be wondering why I am posting about road trips in my blog about life as an ovarian cancer survivor. I am not sure how many other survivors feel the same way but since my diagnosis I would rather make memories by experiencing things such as spending time with family and friends and visiting places than buying things. I value everyday ordinary things and do not want to rush life. Rather I want to take the slower route by car visiting "The Fly Over States" and in the process experience the joy of seeing some very beautiful parts of the country.
Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!
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