Today I’m heading out on a fall road trip. It’s a scenic drive to Yellowstone National Park, with a stop in Grand Teton just to the south. I love to travel this time of year. The temperatures are usually perfect, the crowds thin out, and the fall colors start to paint the landscape. For me, fall is also deeply personal. My birthday is in the fall, and so was my mom’s. We were born just one day apart, twenty-five years to the day. Now that she’s gone, the season always brings a touch of nostalgia, a reminder of birthdays we once celebrated together.
I also remember a slide from my parents’ honeymoon, showing my mom in Grand Teton. Travel carries those echoes of memory, of family, of life shared and cherished.
Travel and Grief: Lessons from the Ash Trips
After my husband, John, died, travel became one of the ways I processed my grief. I took what I called my “ash trips,” journeys to scatter his ashes in places he loved. Returning to those landscapes brought back wonderful memories of our time together. It helped me feel gratitude for the life we shared, even though I wish it had lasted longer. The truth of the old saying rang clear to me: it really is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
Traveling through those landscapes wasn’t just about movement; it was about meaning. Grief experts often note that rituals, whether big or small, help us carry loss and integrate it into our lives. For me, traveling to those places was both ritual and healing.
The Healing Power of Nature
Science supports what many of us intuitively know: being in nature restores us. Research shows that time outdoors reduces stress, improves mood, enhances resilience, and even increases creativity. One study found that people who spent four days immersed in nature without technology scored 50% higher on creativity tests. Another study from Stanford found that walking in natural settings reduced rumination. This is the kind of repetitive, negative thinking that can worsen depression.
For those who are grieving, stressed, or simply overwhelmed by daily responsibilities, time in nature offers a chance to pause, breathe, and reconnect with what matters most.
Choosing the Road
This time, I’m choosing a road trip over airports and deadlines. I’ve mapped out my route but left plenty of room for flexibility. I’m looking forward to being on my own schedule, trading busyness for downtime. The open road, the mountains, and the quiet moments along the way will give me space to reset and reflect.
As we head into the busiest season of the year, maybe we all need a reminder to step back and to walk in nature, take a scenic drive, or simply sit under a tree and breathe. Travel doesn’t have to be far or complicated to bring healing and perspective.
Legacy, Gratitude, and Living Fully
Travel connects me back to John, to my mom, and to the legacies of love they left in my life. It also helps me reflect on my own legacy and the ways I want to be remembered, the memories I hope to create, and the gratitude I feel for the people and places that shape my journey.
Gratitude and legacy are intertwined. When we pause to be grateful for the lives we’ve shared and the beauty around us, we are also shaping the story of our own lives—how we live, love, and prepare.
Your Invitation
What about you? When was the last time you gave yourself space to step away and reconnect with what matters most? Whether it’s through travel, nature, or meaningful rituals, taking time to pause is part of living fully.
If you’d like guidance on how to carry that same spirit of reflection into your planning—making choices now that bring peace of mind later—I invite you to schedule a free Peace of Mind Planning Session with me. Together, we can explore what matters most in your journey and how to prepare for it with clarity and love.
