South Mountain Counseling

Chapters...

In the heat of the summer, we walk around the lot and look inside each travel trailer. We talk about the fun times we are going to have, the places we will travel, and our new adventure that is on the horizon. We look at all the details very carefully and talk about which features we like best in this one or that one. Do we want bunks for the kids? How long is long enough...20 ft, 30 ft? Where will we park it? And, last but not least do we want slides... I mean,... like one, two, or even three!?!? The choices are mind-boggling and very confusing. What if we choose wrong in our home-away-from-home? So we surf the Internet, read all that we can, look for different floor plans, and visit all kinds of RV lots. And at the end of each day, we always return to the original RV lot, just to walk through more trailers and dream, and each night we arrive home and talk excitedly about the fun vacations we are about to have. Who knew there were so many options; therefore, every aspect of each trailer is taken into careful consideration.

Finally, we make a decision!

We’ve been making lists of things we will need for our first trip, planning a menu, and buying the necessities to prepare the trailer. I laugh a little on the inside because this chapter in my life was closed a long time ago. I mean, If anyone knows me they would’ve all heard me say, “Ya, I’m not a camper and I will never go camping. I’m more of a city-girl.” Hahaha..... Now I’m eating my words! Even my son said, “Hey mom... since when did THIS become a thing?” We laugh and I say, “Since right now!”

My brain is on overload and screaming at me... “Hold up little darlin’... are you sure you want THIS? Can you have fun doing this again?” I take a deep breath and repeat to myself, “I can do hard things,” and I start to think about the Chapters in my life.

Chapters are a real thing... And as I think about my life and the chapters within my book, I actually have a deep, deep appreciation for the stories inside. I remind myself that chapters come and go while we skip down this crazy road we call Life. Some chapters are quick and exciting as we move fast through the pages we read, and when it’s over we promise ourselves that we will re-read them again one day. Then, there are chapters that are slow and drawn out, covered with paragraph after paragraph of challenges, pain, and enduring. These chapters seem to drag on and we tire of them, wishing they would just finally end. We also have chapters of total joy and happiness and these are the best and my favorite chapters of all. These are the ones I want to stay in forever and where I want time to stand still. But the pages in our book must continue to be turned, and all chapters must end and new ones begin.

Today our trailer is ready for pickup. And it hits me right smack in the face this morning! I am stunned... I am flabbergasted... There actually IS a chapter I am closing today. I had a camper and sold it five years ago. That camper held my little family inside. We roared down the road, kids in tow and spent time together as a family. Many, many memories in this particular chapter have been written, and again, what I thought was closed has again been reopened... Only it’s different this time. This time, the kids are grown and...

Rick is by my side instead.

I just sat there this morning my heart pounding out of my chest and eyes filling with tears. I sold my little family’s camper about a year after Bill died and that is when I made the promise that I would never camp again. I was done! That chapter had sailed and had definitely slammed closed forever!

Then something happened... I’m not sure what it was. But, I took a peek one day inside my book, and as I flipped the pages back through old chapters, I came across my camper. It made my heart swell as I dusted off the pages and realized that this old chapter in my life was not only remembered, but loved also. That is when I opened my heart to the idea of owning another RV... Even though the memories were flooding in and causing me sadness, I wanted to make more of this kind of fun!

I take another deep breath, “I got this!”

I think Dr. Seuss sums it up best when he talks about life... “Oh, the places you’ll go...” Yep, Chapters...

“Oh, The Places You’ll Go! You’ll be on your way up!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.

OH! THE PLACES YOU’LL GO

On and on you will hike,
And I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

So...
Be your name Teresa or Ricky or Bray
Or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!”

As I separate THIS life from THAT life, THOSE memories and THESE memories, I remind myself that even thought new chapters are waiting to be written, my old chapters can still be remembered.

So as the adventures begin, with many roads to be traveled, much laughter to be heard, and great sights to behold; we hope, our door will be inviting enough for someone to knock and the conversations around our table funny and full of love.

We hope to rekindle old friendships and make a few new ones along the way, deepen our love for one another, and grow closer as a family with our, now adult children.

I take another deep breath and continue to remind myself that chapters are not about those that have closed, but about the ones that are opening.” And as we head out of town in our new RV, I may shed a few more tears, but they will be tears filled with old memories, joy, and definitely tears for our new adventure!

“Oh the places we’ll go”... with new chapters and blank pages screaming to be filled with laughter, love, and new beginnings. Maybe we’ll see ya around! We’ll keep our trailer door open for ya’all...