I designed this “Around the Bend” series as a way to photo-journal and share my month-long journey from East Coast to West and back again, hoping to inspire those who want to seek a little wonder in their lives.  But today I digress a little from the wonder of God’s creation to share the blessing of a very different gift – the joy and treasure of enduring friendship, and how our love of travel helped cement that friendship forever.

Miles Between Us

Jill and I met 23 years ago – me many months pregnant and with a 2 year old, her with four kids under the age of eight.  For 20 of these years, we have lived at least 3,000 miles apart.  While that doesn’t sound like a great foundation for life-long friendship, it definitely has worked for us!

We were brought together as young moms and forged a friendship that has been undergirded by the great losses and joys of our lives.  This summer, I endeavored to take the ultimate month-long road trip, from central PA to Washington State, in part to visit the home of my beloved friend and her husband.

Oddly, we really aren’t that much alike, but we immediately hit it off as part of a team starting a MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) group at our church.  Before long, our families were merged together in everything from Sunday School and Saturday night dinners to beach vacations and birthday parties, all the time reveling in the madness that six (mostly loud and hilarious) little kids create.  After three short years, duty called her family across the sea to Turkey, followed by Italy two years later, with Greece as the last stop before returning to the states, this time where she settled down in the state of Washington. 

All these years later, she remains in Washington (though now on a ranch, a “fer piece” from the busy life she led in Spokane), I call Pennsylvania home, and both of our worlds look vastly different than when we met.  Despite the miles between us, we have seen each other through the tough stuff neither of us could have imagined all those raucous years ago.  We’ve both persevered to come out on the other side.  While I miss those messy, silly fun years, the here and now is pretty spectacular too, and I was excited to experience Jill’s life on a cattle ranch (what??!!) in person for a few days.

And a long time ago in places far far away . . .

People are Just People

Jill is part of my story in so many ways, as she played a huge role in expanding my understanding of and love for travel.  When her family got the call to go to Turkey in 2001, I didn’t know many people who traveled overseas, let alone lived there.  We didn’t have cell phones yet, and general communication was slow and hard.  Turkey seemed so exotic and well, foreign, with its half European, half Asian geography.  Totally new territory for me to consider, and it felt like she was going so far away.

While I didn’t get to visit her there (thanks to Islamic terrorism and 9/11), we were blessed to have the whole gang come spend the summers with us.  I loved all their stories about the Turkish people, food and of course, rugs!  And all the opportunities to visit historical and Biblical places like Cappadocia and Ephesus.  To stand in places where the Apostle Paul stood!  Mind-boggling to me.  But what struck me the most was their familiarity with it all, and how Turkish culture just became a part of their norm.

It was a hint of one thing I’ve since learned in my life about traveling – people are just people.  We do things differently, look different, act different, but in the end, everyone goes about their days basically the same way.  There is wonder in discovering how we are different, but also in how we are so inherently the same.  All God-breathed in the end.  It has the power to make me feel both insignificant and uniquely made all at the same moment.

The Ultimate Field Trip 

When they received news a few years later that their next station meant a move to Italy, I may have been just as excited as Jill.  No way was I going to miss this!  I had never been across the pond but wanted so badly to see this world I had read so much about.  My calling at that time was to be “mom”, but the other hat I had worn most of my adult years was that of teacher.  High school English and theatre, and then homeschool mom of two, I had always been fascinated with ancient Rome.  Italy equated to the ultimate field trip.  

The following spring I gleefully jetted across the Atlantic to spend 10 days with my best pal.  Looking back, that trip played a huge role in the trajectory of my life.  A single moment that sums up how travel deeply affects me . . .  

I vividly remember walking along a side street near the Via Veneto, a busy and beautiful broad avenue in downtown Rome.  The day was warm, and everything was in bloom.  Turning a corner and pausing near a typical Italian shop selling pottery and housewares, I was completely overcome.  I just stood there and cried, feeling beyond foolish.  I remember saying to Jill, “I can’t believe I am standing here.”  Wonder had taken my breath away so completely.  Unplanned and unexpected tears of joy and gratitude came pouring out.  I’d tuck the moment away, but years would go by before I recognized it’s worth in beginning a transformation of wandering to wonder.

I returned to Rome twice more before they were called to Greece, once with the whole family and following year with my daughter.  Part of what holds us all together is the enduring bond of our now 25 year-old girls, who have been best friends since they were two, despite living far apart for almost all the years of their lives. 

The Rancher’s Wife

Jill and I have explored so many places together, but now it was time for me to plop myself into the midst of her new world. 

Let’s just say that in all the years we’ve been friends, I can confidently say these two things about Jill.  One, no one would ever have mistaken her for a country girl.  Two, she is always up for a new adventure, especially if it means being with the people she loves. 

So it comes with little surprise that she would take to ranching life so easily.  To be fair, ten years ago, I would have bet against her as a rancher’s wife, riding her own four-wheeler, sitting on a tractor and helping to bail hay.  None of us saw that coming.  But this girl is faithful and true, loyal and determined.  It was such fun to see her in her new element.

For four days I reveled in my time at the ranch.  Their beautiful home, complete with mule deer and elk in the front yard and a glassy crater of a lake in the back made for relaxing and lovely days.  So worth the 3,000+ miles to sit on the sunny dock together, throwing stones in the lake for Lexi the Golden as we recollected so many of our memories, brought together and joined forever by the many many miles, joys and travails that marked our friendship. 

God in the Rear View

I was so grateful for time to relax and rejuvenate before the next leg of my journey.  I also fully appreciate the role that Jill has played in my path to road-tripper and travel writer.  So many times in our lives together we’ve talked about how we can clearly see God’s path for us in the rear view, but how we certainly didn’t recognize it until way after the fact.    I think this was one of those times.  As we whiled away the afternoon on the dock, we found simple joy in the predictablly satisfying lapping of the water as it washed over our feet, knowing that God had used so many pieces of our friendship together to orchestrate this moment.

In her book One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voscamp said it much better, and I especially love her reference to long-distance driving:

“. . .  I’ve an inkling that there are times when we need to drive a long, long distance before we can look back and see God’s back in the rearview mirror.”  

Goodness yes.  We can both certainly say “yes” and “amen” to that.

My Fave Eastern Washington Oddity

Xanny’s – where I come from, this kind of joint would be a local hit.  Really, really good comfort food, cardboard cutouts of John Wayne, highly politically incorrect signage, and a bunch of dudes (and dudettes) fishing from a line-up of lawn chairs on the dock.  Oh, and unusually strong Long Island Iced Teas, brought to you by the wise-cracking owner.  Her response to what we should order . . .

“Everything on my menu is crappy.”  (Totally untrue.)

I also learned about Fry Sauce.  How did I never know?   Part ketchup, mayo, maybe a little Worcestershire or pickling brine.  Not easily described but happily consumed.  When she realized I had never heard of it, she responded with “That’s precious”.  Ha!

Come Along!

To stay up-to-date with our adventure, head over to Facebook and like Just Being Bing. I’ll post each update there as well as on my website.

As you can imagine, traveling for an extended period of time takes a lot of planning and preparation, and I love the planning!  Once we’re on the road though, there’s room for all kinds of twists and turns in our travel.  I love so many of the unexpected moments of our trips.

There’s also a ton of prayer involved – both as part of the planning, and when we are on the road.  If you’d like to pray for me (and Lexi!) while we are adventuring, we would be grateful.  I’ll share a few specifics in my updates.  Thank you!

Maybe we will see you Around the Bend!