"And if I Die in Raleigh, at Least I Will Die Free..."

     As my friend and I continued along the 2,300-mile road trip to the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina (a journey which some might have found tedious), I remember thinking to myself, 'Now this is living.'  We sang, laughed, and talked about life.  We shared our hopes, dreams, secrets, and fears.  Having been friends since we were in elementary school, we had grown somewhat apart over the years, and this was our chance to reconnect.  We told stories, made jokes, and reminisced over the many years of our friendship.  She thanked me for inviting and convincing her to accompany me on this journey -- I was glad I did.  As we drove through the red rock of Arizona and New Mexico, the vast desert of Texas, the green plains of Oklahoma, the lush forests of Arkansas, the smoky mountains of Tennessee, and finally, the rolling hills and blue skies of Carolina, I don't think I have ever felt more at peace with the world.  I felt I was exactly where I was supposed to be.  I was finally getting to see for myself all the world that is out there, waiting to be experienced.  I knew I belonged out in the world, seeing and living it all.  I can honestly say that sitting in a car for 36 hours alongside one of my oldest friends and seeing this beautiful country firsthand was one of the best experiences of my life, and one I'll not soon forget.  We indulged in Mexican food in the Southwest and enjoyed the tenderest, juiciest steaks of the Midwest.  The journey from the beaches of southern California to the mountains of North Carolina is an interesting one because the countryside gradually becomes greener and greener, the further east you travel.  Whether it's the arid southwestern deserts that go on for as far as the eye can see, or the smoky blue, forest-covered mountains of the east, it is equally as breathtaking.  We watched golden sunsets and pink sunrises stretch across the land as we stared out at the road before us, and more stars than I think I've seen in my lifetime.  They say that when you die your life flashes before your eyes in a blur -- well, I'm pretty sure that when that day comes for me, what I will see are the memories of the landscape flashing before me as I stared out the window on that long journey to freedom.