Tunnel Vision

When I used to travel up to Pennsylvania with my family to visit my grandparents, we would drive through these long tunnels that cut straight through the mountains.  This, I have to admit, was one of my favorite parts of the ride up, and probably one of the few appealing aspects of the trip itself.  Maybe it's a little silly, but something about going through them felt so dramatic, thrilling almost; all the little buzzing lights zipping by on either side, and a silence, minus the echoed humming of fellow travelers passing by and headed to where we originated.  And then when we would finally get to the end of it, we'd see the light on the other side and it was sort of like emerging into some fresh, new place, normally being West Virginia or just the other side of the mountain.  And especially for a little girl, like I was.  To be honest, even to this day I get a little excited as a tunnel comes into view ahead.

And now, I think about these tunnels in a slightly different way.  The idea of them and their purpose, and what they do for me is all of a sudden interesting.  There seems to be some sort of fuzzy link to those kinds of tunnels in my life at present.  I just think of the way these tunnels allow people to pass through, stay for a moment, appreciate the sometimes-"thrilling" experience they offer, and ultimately, move them steadily along to their final destination.  And then I think of people in friendships, relationships, etc. who also see this sort of activity every day.  We all offer this kind of tunnel experience to each other, I think; with acquaintances, friends, old and new, and so on.  Sometimes, it seems that our traffic becomes heavy, maintaining a steady flow of comers and goers; sometimes, more comers than goers, and unfortunately at times, more goers than comers.  Of course, not everyone is really all that affected or impressed by the tunnel and all its supposed glory.  For some, it's just a means to another side, and they leave feeling indifferent.  Others may leave with a subtle appreciation for it.  It's all a matter of who's riding in and/or driving the car, I guess.  

I suppose I'm going through a period where old friends who mean something to me, have actually found a destination to travel to, and many are emerging into the "other side."  And my tunnel won't necessarily be conveniently located on the way there anymore.  It makes me sad to think about it, but I've also been lucky enough to embrace new faces, new cars, whatever, and I see many more approaching.  Yet another bittersweet side effect of growing up and being young.  And there's always the possibility of encountering other mountainous tunnels along my own route.  Yes, I'm still figuring out my own destination, and I'm just a-travelin' too.  And yes, my friends, I have turned my life into a traveling metaphor, and I don't care how silly that makes me...for right now.