Milestones … our lives are full of them. We set goals, achieve them, and revel in our success. We celebrate graduating from high school, getting that first job, earning a huge promotion, and more. We share the stories with friends, family, and even strangers. We beam with pride when our children achieve their own milestones. To me, some of the most important milestones are those we set for ourselves and work toward.
As I got older, many of my goals focused on travel. In 2002 I began a 26-year quest to see the world from A to Z (hence the name of this blog). This year, I drew a mental line through “W” and am looking ahead to “X,” “Y,” and “Z.” With only three years left, I am anxious and determined to achieve this feat.
A single goal has never been enough. I am motivated by thoughts of what’s around the next bend. I experience a sort of high when I plan a trip or see a significant milestone approaching. In addition to seeing the world, I’ve had a goal to visit all 50 states. We’re really close to the finish line. As I write this, I only need two while Greg’s list includes six unvisited states.
Of course, there is the question of what counts as “been to a state.” We don’t subscribe to the “passing-through-the-airport-counts” method. For us, you must be able to say you spent a night in a state or at least eight hours driving and exploring.
I am experiencing a sense of urgency to get it done. Over the weekend we sat down and figured out how to get to those final states before the year is out. It started when Greg was tapped to accompany his boss on a trip to North Dakota. My ears perked up … could I tag along with him for a day and night? Sure! That left me with Alaska as my last state.
I checked my frequent flyer miles, consulted the calendar, and booked a three-day excursion. I know I won’t see everything I should (or even want to) but I will be able to finish this quest with pride. Besides, we can always revisit Alaska at a later date when we have more time.
For Greg, we’ve scheduled an upcoming trip to the northeast to get him to Vermont and New Hampshire with a bonus visit to see his aunt in Maine. Then, a road trip this fall will finish his list with overnights in Arkansas, Indiana, and Nebraska.
There’s no trophy, certificate, or t-shirt to display. We’ll share the triumph with travel-loving friends who have also realized victory and others still working to conquer their quests. In the meantime, we’re thinking about where we’ll go for “X” as we approach the end of that milestone set so many years ago.
There’s a whole world out there just waiting to be explored. Set your own goals and achieve them with pride.
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