What This Trip Did for Me
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
I don’t know if I can really explain what this trip did for me. I’ve tried to find the words, but they keep falling short. I took a few days to reflect, and here’s how I’m feeling.
There were moments when it felt easier to keep moving. At times, as I was traveling, I thought—maybe I should just keep going, keep heading west. The way I was feeling, I could’ve made it all the way to California.
Deep down, it felt like I was running from everything I’ve known and loved back home not just the people, but the responsibilities, the routines, the expectations. It all felt too heavy at times. I wasn’t trying to escape everything… just trying to breathe again.
And I did. Somewhere in the quiet, something in me loosened. Hours of driving, laughing, crying, thinking—I let myself just exist in those moments. I took in the city of Chicago walked its streets, and allowed myself to experience a kind of personal therapy I didn’t know I needed.
One of the most healing parts was visiting a friend. Someone who offered presence instead of pressure. A safe haven. There was no need to talk everything out or make sense of it all. Just being there being seen, being welcomed meant more than I could ever put into words.
And maybe this trip wasn’t really about escaping. Maybe it was about clarity.About giving myself permission to feel again gently, honestly, fully.