The Drive That Changed Me

It was Tuesday. We'd been driving for two and a half days.

There was a large mountain before arriving at the park entrance. I couldn't force myself to look away from the window if I tried.

I sat in an awed silence as we made our way up the mountain. Speechless, peaceful, emotional.

I couldn't help but cry. I looked at my surroundings, looked at the amazing people I was with and said, "I want to feel this type of inner-peace every single day."

My best friend put on some music. Perfect music for the scenery. Perfect for the moment we were in.

I cried harder.

My girlfriend grabbed my hand. She rubbed my thumb with hers and stayed quiet. Everyone was quiet.

Everyone was happy.

For most of the drive to Wyoming (30 hours), we had our cameras and phones for pictures and videos. We pulled off on a roadside parking lot and left all electronics in the car.

We walked out (further than we were supposed to) and took it all in. We looked, we screamed, we talked, we didn't, and then we got back in the car.

Thankfully, that drive in took us about an hour. I never wanted it to end, but the park had so much more to offer us, so on we went.

We checked into our lot and set up our campsite. We noticed we were right next to the bathrooms, blessed...

We went for another drive, made dinner over the fire (well, my girlfriend made dinner over the fire...), and enjoyed each other's company in such a magnificent place. A place that is so big yet feels so small, so simple. A place that makes you forget about the bad and be thankful for the good. A place that makes you wonder how in the world it exists.

Simplicity is the absolute best way to describe it.

The two days following were spent using the park map to get us to all of Yellowstone's greatest landmarks.

Unfortunately, it was impossible to see everything in two days, but we took advantage of the time we had.

I will never forget that drive. That trip.

It will not be my last time there. Find a place, a destination, that makes you feel a little bit more alive. Find it and experience it. Experience it alone or with someone else, but experience it. Breathe it in and let it fill you up.