Off Track Trucker

Aaaaahh, the kids are off track from school. They love it and so do I. Aside from the obvious delights of sleeping in and staying up later than usual, Aaron no longer makes faces like this when it's time to do his homework:


Can't you just feel his pain?

Instead, he hits the road with the coolest trucker he knows.

It's pretty much his favorite thing to do.

They make a good team.

Troy does all the driving, and Aaron rides along. They listen to Radio Disney on the XM. Aaron knows all the cities they pass, the weigh stations, the truck stops with the "good" bathrooms, and how to talk on a cb. He climbs in the back sometimes, to nap or play a video game, but for the most part, he just rides up front. He doesn't complain or whine about the long drive, he loves the whole experience.

Aaron is 8 years old, a kid with a lot of anxiety and stress in his world. For the past few months, he's been seeing Rachel, a counselor that he adores, to help him deal with the things that stress him out. They do a lot of talking, working on appropriate responses and ways to manage his emotions when he feels anxious or out of control. They've done some deep breathing exercises and visualization - ways for Aaron to relax himself.

Rachel asked Aaron to tell her about the happiest place he could think of. Yes, it feels a little new age-y, Aaron closing his eyes and "going to that happy place". We're going with whatever will help him right now. He chose this. Not Disneyland, not in front of the computer (thank goodness!), and not on the trampoline, though that might have been a close second. Aaron's most favorite place in the whole wide world, his happy place, is inside the semi truck, going over the Bay Bridge in San Francisco.

Troy and Aaron got into S.F. late last night. Aaron had napped earlier in the trip so that he could be awake when they went over the bridge at 2am. He sits up high in the passenger seat, his body and head looking so small inside this gigantic truck. He can see the city, the lights, the ships, the water...and he is happy.

Later, they had to drive through the city, right as the clubs were closing. They stopped at a crosswalk and watched as big groups of laughing girls made their way across the street. The girls saw Aaron sitting up front, wide awake and wearing his trucker hat, and they all pointed and waved at him.

Aaron climbed in the back for another nap. He told Troy to wake him up when they were leaving the city, so he could see the bridge again. He woke right up and climbed back in the front seat at 5:30am. After all, it's his happy place. He couldn't just sleep through it.

I miss him when he's gone. I call and talk to him and he tells me about the things he sees, and we blow kisses over the phone. Troy tells me over and over about how relaxed Aaron is, how utterly comfortable and content he is, in and around the trucks. How he loves going over that bridge. I miss him, but knowing that he is so happy, makes me happy.

On a side note, Cameron hates going over the bridges - so he won't go on the SF trips. Go figure.

If you were visualizing your happiest place on earth, where would that be?