I love do things on a whim. In fact, I thrive on spontaneity. Such inclinations keep Jan sitting on the edge of her seat. She of course is more inclined to live an orderly life that is carefully planned. Poor girl… She has not had a normal day in almost in 26 years.

Last Sunday afternoon I was on my way to the conference I was scheduled to attend in Libertyville, IL just north of Chicago. As I made my way to Libertyville, a whim hit with full force. I figured out that I was only about 20 minutes from Arlington Heights, IL. My family moved to Arlington Heights in January of 1966. I was not quite 4 years old at the time. My dad worked for International Harvester at the time, so he traveled to downtown Chicago everyday via commuter train. I decided it was about time that I drive by the house we lived in from 1966 until 1969. After all I had not seen it since we moved in June of 1969.

I of course was depending on the memory of a 7 year old to find our former place of residence. The estimated 20 minute trek took more like 45 minutes… I remembered that the elementary school that I attended was on “Miner Street.” I secretly wondered if my old house was boarded up and plastered with condemned signs. I had images of my old school with graffiti sprayed all over the exterior walls. I do have a vivid imagination…

I stopped at the first convenience store I could find and asked the young clerk if he knew where Miner Street was. He was very cordial and told me that it was only about 4 more blocks up the street. I was excited at this point. I drove down Miner Street searching for Windsor Elementary School, where I attended Kindergarten and first grade. I found the municipal swimming pool first. Memories flooded my head quickly! One of my older sisters did her Red Cross lifeguard training at that pool! (She of course is much, much older than I am.) And then I found the school. No graffiti… The school had obviously been remodeled fairly recently. It looked great.

And then I traced the walk I used to take everyday after school to Carlyle Circle, where we lived back in the day. I wondered if parents today still let their kids walk several blocks to school. In 1967, my mother had no reservations about sending her 5 year old off to walk a few blocks to school. In Kindergarten I would get home about the time that my mother was getting ready to watch As the World Turns each day!

The old house looked great too. All of the homes on the block were well kept and attractive. Most of those homes were built around 1950 during the post World War II economic boom. Returning veterans earned their degrees and moved to the suburbs of Chicago.

As I drove down the block, it was 1968 again… I was riding my bike down our little street. The big kids were playing hockey in the street. My sister was doing gymnast routines with her friends in the front yard. It was really fun.

My 45 minute one way trip to the old home place was about to place me late going to the conference, so I quickly got back on the main highway and headed north. The trip to Arlington Heights concluded a journey that I began back in 2003. At that point I had not seen members of my extended family since 1978. I started researching my extended family. I sent letters and emails. I made phone calls. I took trips to Charlotte, NC; Jacksonville, FL; Blackey, KY; Racine WI, and now most recently a quick run to Arlington Heights, IL. During the course of my journeys I have reconnected with an aging aunt, cousins, and several very special friends.

I had to rush to the conference last Sunday afternoon, so I would not be late. But a tremendous sense of peace came over me. I knew last Sunday that the journey back in the past had been completed. Old relationships have been rekindled and new ones have been forged. I uncovered mysteries about my family that had haunted me for decades. I offered forgiveness to those who were long deceased, and gained a new respect for members of family who preceded me in this world by many years. It was nice to see the old neighborhood in such good shape, because its appearance reflected the new found beauty and peace that now exists in my heart. I love do things on a whim….Such whims have carried me to places I needed to go. Where do you need to go today?  I hope you too will answer the call of spontaneity.