If you picked up a copy of Living Forward and read the exemplar life plan by ‘Rachel’ (aka me), you discovered one of the specific commitments under my family account is to be more intentional about spending time/traveling with my parents.  To kick off the fulfilling of that commitment, I just wrapped up a super fun week of adventure doing JUST that!  We started out in Vegas, then toured the Hoover Dam, and ended the week in the Grand Canyon via a train ride from Williams, AZ.  While I’ve been to Vegas, I’ve never been to the Hoover Dam or Grand Canyon and everything was COMPLETELY new to my parents.

It’s been a VERY long time, since I’ve vacationed with my parents. (Probably almost 20 years! YIKES!) So why travel with them now?  The answer to this question is really quite complex and is more than 2 years in the making.  (And that is a topic for another post coming soon!) But I’ll start by sharing 4 simple reasons I LOVED traveling with my parents.

1. Life is short.

Cliché I know, but it truly is!  I can’t believe my parents are in their 60s/70s! I mean, seriously, where did the time go?  I distinctly remember when my mom turned 40 and it seems like only yesterday!  As I’ve gotten older (and a tad wiser), I’ve come to desire things less and experiences more.  I want to see, do and GO.  And I want the same for my parents.  While they have traveled both domestically and internationally, their experiences are limited.  Time is precious.  And while I desire to travel far and wide, I’m trusting the good Lord will give me at least another 60 years to do that. My parents likely don’t have that luxury.

2. I AM a good chaperone after all.

While my parents are perfectly capable of traveling by air alone, they are a tad apprehensive.  Airport navigation can be somewhat daunting. (Just ask my mom about the time I flew her out to California ALONE to meet up with my sister and me for a few days of fun in the sun!) I’m seasoned enough to handle travel snafus like a pro.  They are not.  My experience and knowledge helps put them at ease and allows them to feel more confident as they check their baggage, go through security, make a tight connection, etc.  On this trip, I also served as the chauffeur, allowing them to soak in and enjoy scenery they’ve never seen.  And when my dad decided to hike down a steep cliff in the Grand Canyon, my mom DID need someone to hang out with her. 😉 (And if you know Phil, you KNOW his middle name is ADVENTURE….SOMEONE has to chaperone that! 😉 )

3. Three’s company

The vast majority of my travel is solo, and it is a rare treat to have companions along for the ride.  I loved the time in the car, on the train and over meals!  We had some of the most precious conversations!  My dad is a runner (my mom and I are hikers), so while he ran, we were able to have lots of mother/daughter time which overflows my heart! What a joy to spend a week with my two favorite people!

4. Three’s a crowd

When traveling solo, there’s plenty of opportunity to see, do and go anywhere I want, at any time, on any schedule.  When traveling with a group (or in this case, my parents), your selfish desires SHOULD take a backseat and patience and unselfishness SHOULD be ushered in.   Being independent and mostly always in charge of only me, this can prove to be a challenge. It was SO good for me to put their wants, needs and desires above my own and relinquish my selfish notions.  In essence, I had an entire week to mostly “die to self.”  And this was a good thing.

I love the line in the Point of Grace song How You Live that says, “Go see your folks more than just on the holidays.”  I want to be intentional about spending every last drop of time I can with my parents, and by currently living 9 hours away from them, this can be challenging.  When I ponder how fast the last 25 years have gone by, and how fast the next 25 will fly, I want to have a mind full of memories of many fun adventures with my parents!  We had such an amazing time and I would not trade this vacation for anything.  We are already looking into 2017 and planning another excursion so stay tuned!

What about you? Have you traveled with your parents?  If not, please, PLEASE do!  It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant or far!  Trust me, they will treasure and soak up ANY amount of time you allot for them. (And if you no longer have your parents or your parents aren’t in the picture, look around for one to adopt!  And ohhhh me! I can see a double blessing stemming from this!)  Take them on a picnic to a local park or to dinner and a movie. Time is precious and limited.  Invest, invest, invest…love well and deep!