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Hey Dad,

The kids are in bed so I thought I'd jot off a note before we take our maiden voyage in the Familyman Mobile. In the morning, we head off to the tropical destination of … Duluth, Minnesota. We're headed to the state homeschooling convention where we'll be speaking and encouraging dads in the land of 10,000 lakes.

I have to admit that I'm a little nervous about driving our 30' gas–guzzling beast, 600 miles across Wisconsin. The kids are pumped about life in a mobile home (which will probably wear off about 20 minutes down the road.)

Even my wife is looking forward to the trip … although she warned me that the success of the weekend depends greatly on me. I hate it when she says that.

She reminded me that I have a tendency to be in a hurry to get wherever we're headed. I can't deny it, because I know I do. It's just that when I get behind the wheel, I like to make good time, and I'm not wild about interruptions. Of course, it's not just me, it's most men.

What is it with dads and being in a hurry, anyway?

We seem to be in such a rush to get … nowhere. We don't like to pull over at quaint spots, rest areas, or tourist traps more than a mile out of our way. Sometimes we get consumed with making the three–hour trip in two hours and fifty minutes.

For example: when women go on a trip, other women ask what they saw. When men go on a trip, the conversation goes something like this: "How many miles did you drive?" (Answer: a lot) "How long did it take you?" Most men don't care about what they see … it's all about how fast they did it.

So here's my plan: I'm going to stop often, slow down, and stop looking at my watch. When they want to take the exit in Bemiji to see the concrete statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe, his big blue ox, I'll do so without out sighing. I'll stop to have our picture taken often, stop thinking about the miles out of our way, and start concentrating on our family adventure. I'll have some pictures when we get back, and, I'm sure, a story or two.

Be a good dad this week. Don't be in such a hurry. Have a family adventure of your own … and enjoy your big, comfy bed.

You 'da dad!

[Todd]

©Copyright Todd Wilson, 2004. Used by permission.

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