When Tari gave us the word "travel" the first thought that came to my mind was flying on an airplane. I remembered when we lived in Fairbanks and we had a toddler and baby. We flew to New Mexico every year to visit Trish's family. At that time Alaska Air was at the bottom of the barrel for on time departures and customer satisfaction. Two years in a row we got stuck in the Seattle airport for 12-16 hours and pretty much every Alaska Air flight was delayed. Two main feelings came to mind from those experiences, one being "anxiety" and two being "thankfulness". Being in an environment where everyone is losing their mind at the uncertainty of when they will be able to continue on their way and ordinary citizens are screaming at ticket counter personnel it's hard not to absorb some of that anxious energy (also i'd be lying if I didn't say I was very judgemental of those adults throwing temper tantrums while my toddler who had gotten no sleep and was completely off her schedule was showing much better behavior). My answer for combating the anxiety was saying a silent prayer of thankfulness that my wife and children were safe, had enough to eat, and were warm which sadly I knew was not that case for many other dads standing with their families around the world.
The next thing I thought of with the word "travel" was human propelled travel. Walking, running, climbing, skiing, snow shoeing, paddling, ect. I remembered a recent adventure where part way through a trip we had to climb up and over a hill in very rotten snow with heavy packs. Although it was only a 5 mile stretch it took us 24 hours to complete. Again the words "anxiety" and "thankful" returned. I was anxious when my partners snowshoe broke and if we didn't fix it he would be up to his chest in slush. I was anxious when he took a big fall on a steep slope and I thought he might be injured. I was anxious when I felt the twinges of pain in my back, a reminder that I was not as strong as I would like to be and maybe this was going to be the trip my body failed. With each wave of anxiety that came I silently said a prayer of thanks. Fortunately we had what we needed to repair the snowshoe, my friend wasn't injured on the fall, and my back held up but regardless of what happened I focused my energy on being thankful to be outside in unblemished wilderness which gave me less time to be worried.
Finally when mulling over the word "travel" travelling the road of life came to mind and how that road eventually leads to death. I have been a registered nurse for 21 years and have had the privilege of traveling with people and their family members and friends on the final journey from this life to the next. Everyone experiences the end of their life or the life of their loved one differently but as an observer I noticed anxiety is universal but people who combat it with thankfulness seem to have a better final journey.
For me anxiety really brings the opportunity for thankfulness. Anxiety gives me a chance to recognize I need something beyond my own wisdom, strength, or skill. That "something" I identify as God. No matter where or how I'm traveling I know most likely on some level there will be anxiety, and I'm thankful for that.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life...Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6: 25-27
"Humble yourselves, therefore under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5: 6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Phillippians 4:6
"I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever." Psalm 86:12
