Wanderlust by J.R. Molt
As the sun came over the ridge of the mountains, it became apparent that it was going to be a beautiful day. Despite the fact the early morning fog had not yet been burned away by the warming first sunshine rays, this didn’t stop Isabel from dragging herself out of bed to lace up her running shoes and hitting the mountain trail at 5:00 am. This was always the least favorite, as well as her favorite part of the day. Leaving her warm bed to brave the crisp mountain air was the former, but the reward for doing so was always worth the mental battle. The calming solitude that the dark green mountains provided was hard to come by in her life; so she embraced it whenever she could.
As she returned to her small house, placed purposely at the base of the mountains she loved so much, she braced herself for the multiple messages which were waiting for her on her cellphone, and tablet. After being freshly promoted at the rapidly expanding business she worked for in Denver, Colorado, she was not unfamiliar with the constant need of her presence and assessments on the current and incoming tasks, but every day it seemed to get harder and harder to return back to that world of constant scrutiny and progression.
Whenever she would return home, more early morning than late night, she would kick off her painful heels and then pour herself a glass of well deserved wine. After settling down on her porch to look at the stars; stars that were only able to be seen this far away from the bustling city. She would dream about what she would do if she could just up and leave without worrying about her career, what was expected of her, or, of course, the monetary difficulties something like that would cause. By the end of daydreaming, she would kick herself and realize that it was stupid and impossible to even fantasize of taking a week off let alone a few months to travel abroad like she desired. After a few glasses she would let herself accept the truth that she deep down knew; if she left, she wouldn't ever want to come back to her mundane, monotonous life.
Ever since she was a teen she desired to travel, but it was never “practical” and never going to happen. She looked for any opportunity she could to leave the sheltered, ordinary bubble that she had been subjected to her entire life. She was even shut down when she took the one chance to spread her wings and go for her dream job. She was never taken seriously and constantly had her wings clipped. Even a small trip to another town was an impossibility.
Always so concerned what others thought, and never wanting to let anyone down; she did what was expected of her. Never took a chance, due to the possibility of failing; she was slowly going crazy. Never genuinely happy in anything. Career, love, friendship. Because in the end there was only one thing she wanted. To see the world. She wanted to fall in love with places, share experiences with strangers, whom she would never see again except for when she would close her eyes to remember the amazing memories she created. She knew early in life that at any time, things can shift unbelievably and unchangeably. She feared that if she didn't experience it now, it would be taken from her and she would have nothing to show for it. Nothing.
As she walked through the door to her bedroom where her cell phone, sat she decided for once she was going to be true to herself and risk the fall. Even as she reached out for it, her mobile lit up revealing another new message to the 16 ones already waiting. Before she could second guess she shoved it into the glass of water sitting on her bedside table and strode over to her closet where she grabbed her suitcase and started packing with a smile on her face…