Highway 218 Revisited
It can be difficult to think about what to write for a first post. I sat pondering; going through the usual suspects: politics, sports, work. So I started thinking about what was important in my life. Of course, God and my wife Tricia are at the top of my list. Add to that my family, my dogs, my friends, etc., but how about my pavement? As I thought about it, I realized how vital one strip of road has been in my life.
See, Highway 218 ran from Charles City, IA to the development where Erik and I grew up. It is what we used pretty much every day to go to town and back. Whether it was via school bus, bike, or rusted out Ford Maverick, we got to know that strip well enough to travel it blindfolded. Back then it was a ballad of a thin man (now I am about 60 pounds overweight and my knees hurt). Later, when I graduated from High School, I went to college in Waverly, which is just a little further south on 218. Later still, I transferred to Cedar Falls, even further south on 218. Now, like a rolling stone, I live in La Porte City and you guessed it, 218 brings you right into town.
It is odd to consider how a road could be such an integral part of my life, but that is exactly what it is. Literally, 218 is that highway which took me from where I grew up to where I live now. Figuratively, 218 is, well, it’s still a highway that took me from where I grew up to where I am now, but you know what I mean. When I drive back to see my parents, I can’t help but get nostalgic at certain times. Nowadays, the newer Avenue of the Saints has been built, so you do not have to go along the “old highway”, but sometimes I do just for fun. Parts of the drive have been developed now, while parts are still desolation row. Of course I have a different vehicle now - one that has more than an AM radio with a single speaker the dash - but the feeling is the same along Highway 218 revisited.
So I guess what my point is, is that sometimes things become a big part of you without you even noticing. Memories fade and then get revitalized with the aid of some unexpected trigger. I hope you come across a trigger soon and have a happy memory, too.