Tomorrow morning I’ll be on the road again. I spend a lot of my time traveling this way, behind the wheel of either my convertible, or this time of year, my ancient Isuzu Trooper. I have done this road trip to Virginia and back more times than I can count in the past six or seven years.

I drive for work, to Virginia, to DC, to NYC and everywhere in between. That’s where my clients are, so that’s where I go. That’s where my family is, so that’s where I go.

I’ve always done this, lived in one place and worked in others. I suspect that to some there is a certain insanity to it, but to me, it makes perfect sense. My clients, who pay me to do sophisticated, complex and often very technical work, all live in major cities. But I like living in quiet, simple, rural areas. It’s worth the travel to have a place of true peace to spend my non-client facing time with.

I could fly more than I do. But I don’t mind the driving. In fact, I like it. It relaxes me. I can drive twelve hours, get out of the car, and I am energized, not worn out. There’s something about the simpleness of driving. It only uses a small part of my mind, leaving the rest to ponder, to think, to write things in my head, and to pray.

Yes, pray. I pray a lot anyway. In the morning. At night, Often at still moments between work. But in the car, I pray long, long prayers. No one important to me gets left out. No situation I am aware of gets forgotten. I pray for big things and small things and I pray for people who have no idea that I pray for them. I come out of a long drive feeling very connected to my God. Even when I drive in New Jersey.

I think. I deal with problems and hard emotions that often I have trouble dealing with when other things are going on, because I process them so slowly. It’s uninterrupted time, so I can let my emotions drift without worrying about phone calls and the like. I can just be.

Truly, it becomes almost a meditative state.

In my dream world, someone would pay me large sums of money to drive and carry people or small (legal) packages all over the country. Terribly inefficient financially I am sure, but I’d love doing it. Hours and hours to think. Good music on the radio. Yeah, sign me up!

I listen to music. I have satellite radio so you never know what I might be listening to. Jazz. Classical. French Cafe music. The latest hits. Or very old, old hits. I’m developing a taste for African music just recently. Again, hours of it put me in a meditative place. A peaceful place.

So the driving is not a chore. It’s the best part of my work (and I love all the kinds of work I do.). And if it seems a little insane from the outside…. it’s cheaper than a therapist, and probably nearly as good.

And in this particular case, I get to bring my daughter home from college for Christmas. That would be my wonderful “she bakes and I don’t” daughter. What could be better?

I’m loosening my belt in anticipation.

Be well. Travel Wisely,

Tom