Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Off the Road

I fell in love again
all things go, all things go
drove to Chicago
all things know, all things know
we sold our clothes to the state
I don't mind, I don't mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

if I was crying
in the van, with my friend
it was for freedom
from myself and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes


I think every kid sometimes wants to get in the car and drive, not anywhere in particular, just away. I have been thinking a lot recently about how things were back in the 50's and 60's, where people just picked up and hitchhiked across the country. I don't trust people who have never wanted to do that, because I think we are born with a desire to travel and learn and experience.

In a world where media brings London and Hong Kong to our living rooms, it seems like maybe we would be content on the couch with pizza and a remote control. But I think instead, I just want to go more. If fairytales happen in movies {and they always do} then I might be a closet heroine, just waiting for the perfect setting to realize how cool and interesting I actually am.

Sometimes I play out scenes in my head before they happen, like I am actually in a movie. Actually, to be honest, I do this a lot. I imagine the things I will say, and how people will respond, and what will happen. This is why I am rarely surprised or phased by anything. I have played out almost every potential outcome already and planned my response to it.

So maybe this is why I feel the need to do crazy things like drive {or walk?} across the country. Because maybe then things would surprise me. I guess the point I am trying to make is that people are the same everywhere, and no matter how far you run, they will be annoying and shallow or fascinating and individual. Not that you shouldn't maybe try, because maybe you are easily surprised and things like that will be good for you.

But branching out is pointless unless your roots are sound. And if you go without sound roots, you will end up like Sufjan Stevens says; in a van somewhere, crying for freedom from the land and from yourself.