Aselin

Traveling is both an exciting adventure and a challenge. Filled with new sights, sounds and experiences, travel expands our frame of reference. Travel has much to teach and a great power to expand. As we travel, we become more open, more accepting and more understanding.

Unless you’re traveling back to your childhood home. That’s a different story. Every time I return to the home I grew up in I realize how persnickety and particular I’ve become.

Tonight I needed an ice pack for my hip. At home I have a collection of ice packs in the freezer just waiting to soothe any injury that might occur. I have small packs, large packs, lunch packs, cooler packs, hard packs, and my personal favorite: gel packs. So as I’m digging through my father’s freezer for an ice pack I gain frustration when all I can find is frozen food. How does one survive without ice packs? What kind of back-woods joint is he running here?

Indignant, but resigned to my quandary I march unhappily back to my room with a package of frozen ham. Covered with red price stickers I could tell the sliced luncheon meat had been purchased from a bargain bin at the grocery. Based on the thawing effect it was about to experience, I decided it was the most responsible choice out of all the other options.

Sitting on my improvisational ham I’m longing for my own ice pack collection, my own bed, my own shower... I realize that for my memorable formative years this was my shower, my bedroom and my freezer, and it was just fine.

We all have tastes and preferences. My mother-in-law loves a particular brand of yogurt. I think the brand of yogurt tastes like one of the ingredients is bug spray, but I buy it for her every time she comes to visit. My father brings his own coffee and my mother packs in all her own food. When I say all, I do mean all.

Just about the time I’m going to add “ice packs” to the list of things I need to pack when I come visit, I realize my hip is sufficiently numbed. Interestingly enough, frozen ham makes a very effective ice pack. Apparently I will survive this rugged challenge.

I also realize, it’s pretty hard to be persnickety when sitting on frozen ham.