Amtrak Adventure

The train slowed down and eased into the Northbrook train station on a cold and grey December 27th afternoon in 1978.  On board were two travelers that had ridden the rails all the way from Houston, Texas.  Their 27 hour journey felt like a portal back in time, back to the way things use to be.

They felt like they had been away for years, but it had only been months.  Family and friends picked them up and ushered them back to their familiar haunts.  The attempt to conceal their identities with peach fuzz facial hair and cowboy hats was comical indeed.  Their cross country transport of Coors beer and Ruby Red grapefruit was impressive if not only for the weight of the storage suitcase.

The initial meet and greet was formalized that evening with a ceremonial bonfire in Somme woods in the 20 degree weather.  The travelers were more susceptible to the cold since their blood had clearly thinned in the Texas heat.  Tales of the adventures were spun and the Coors beers were distributed like rewards of jobs well done.  Yes, things were definitely different.  Change was all around that night illuminated by the firelight and accented by the warm breathes of air that hung in the crisp winter air.

We were home, but one of us would soon be on the road back to their new home and one would resume a life, for awhile, back in Northbrook.  Looking back on things, this was an illustration of those moments when you just knew things were never going to be the same.  Life was moving forward leaving the past behind.

As I sit on my couch writing this some 42 years later, it reminds me that each and every day can be special and hold meaning for years and sometimes lifetimes.  May you focus on the present with anticipation of a bright future and fondly remember those moments when you witnessed the dawning of a new day, a new chapter in your life.  Happy New Year and may 2021 bring you joy and peace as life goes on.

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