Jet Setter

I woke up at 4am to catch a flight to Vegas. Sounds like the stuff college stories are made of, right? The true grit that involves a few too many Landsharks (not of the SNL variety), a poolside stint and the inevitable jaunt of a bar or two. Those moments later spoken of in hushed tones (okay bawdy words and freakishly loud laughter) by the old and wise, while the young listen in hopes of gaining a nugget of wisdom. Too bad I was going for work….and going alone.

Strolling through the airport at 5am, my puffy eyes squinting in the harsh fluorescents, betraying my sleep-deprivation to the world, I began my first trek as a business woman. I was the epitome of security-friendly: my carry-on filled with rolled clothes and 3 oz bottles of hair care products, my shoes easy to remove, no jewelry, passport in hand, laptop bag opened and ready to launch. My pride swelled as I chunked the deuce at some weaksauce honeymooners on their way to gamble their wedding presents away. Yo, congrats on your holy wedded matrimony and all, but I’ve got some security to breeze through right now, so get out the way. Oh hey, family of four equipped with baby papoose. You look like a human kangaroo, mind if I scoot past you? I’ve got a conference to attend.

Though I put up a good front, the very idea of traveling alone to a place I’ve never been makes me wet my pants a little, much less going to Las Freaking Vegas. Leaving work, I was bombarded with last minute tips: Hit the strip, don’t work too hard, see a show, eat your body weight in food at a buffet….oh and if you don’t get leads you’re fired (said in jest…I hope). Twelve hours later, I found myself in a beautiful hotel room looking out on the gaudy, self-indulgent land that is Vegas trying to find enough confidence to walk out of my room and down to the pool. Bathing suit clad with my matching cover up, I stood in front of the mirror trying to convince myself no one would think I was pathetic as I sat by the pool reading a book, obviously not part of the social scene bustling around me. It was like my own version of Sarah’s Daily Affirmation.

There are several moments in life that you know will be a turning point. You stand at the edge of the next stage of your life, deciding whether or not the leap of faith will be worth it. After so many years of dreaming and hoping, when it is staring you in the face, do you have the courage to jump? Do you have the guts to take responsibility for your life and make it your own?

Slathered in sunscreen, I took the plunge. I dove headfirst into confident singlehood and headfirst into Vegas.

The jitters melted away in the hot sun and I had one of the most profound epiphanies of my young life…I’m incredibly fun to hang out with.

Traveling alone is like eating alone...on crack. It is exhilarating and stress-free. Granted there are a few downfalls to running a mock as a young blonde, and most come in the form of unwanted advances of the older variety. Six months ago the idea of chatting it up with a thirty-five plus year old would have sounded absurd...what could we possibly have in common? Turns out, quite a bit.

There is something to be said about having an experience that is all your own. Gazing out on the families and couples enjoying the summer sun, watching them splash about enjoying the company of those they love gives me a tinge of jealousy knowing that no one else is here to share this moment. But this moment is mine. I can lock away this memory, selfishly allowing it to linger in the recesses of my mind when I am back in my cubicle. There is no one to converse with, no one needing my attention, no one to work out a compromise with when deciding what is for dinner; it is only me. I can commune internally with the Spirit without interruption; dwell in His presence without reservation. And to think I almost lost this moment to my own timidity.

We are surrounded by so many moments of beauty, beautiful through innocence, joy, intrigue or simply the newness of an instant that a moment ago was mundane. How many gifts of beauty do I miss because I have my eyes on the ground, lost in my own world? How many moments meant to fill my soul have I lost because I was too timid to walk outside in a strange city?  

I took the plunge and I hope that I can continue to walk in the courage of the Creator, never shying away from the glory that he has intended for my life.