The distance between fantasies and reality

Once, I was sitting in an airport feeling particularly frumpy when I spotted a woman gliding across the terminal, freshly coifed and fashionably dressed, effortlessly pulling a black and white flowered suitcase.  Everything went together so beautifully that I resolved that moment to be a more put-together traveler.

I ordered a black and white flowered suitcase, and I imagined myself transformed from frumpy to fashionable for all future trips.

I thought of that fantasy when Carlene and I were walking down the hall of a Comfort Inn, she with her four bags, one a leftover birthday gift bag, I with my three mismatched and unzipped ones.  We looked a bit like traveling clowns.

To keep the trip into the motel room light, we left the large suitcases in the car and took in just what we needed: computer, iPad, magazines, toiletries, and a fresh set of clothes for the next day.  It works fine except that it is far from my fantasy of emerging from car or plane all zipped up and glamorous.

When I was younger, I imagined myself as a sleek older woman who wore only white.  I would wear my hair in a neat, long braid and silver jewelry would adorn my simple chic attire.  My heels would click on marble floors. Since I would do yoga daily, I'd walk with ease and flexibility.

I imagined myself sitting in a comfy chair at home reading magazines, people dropping by, serving something hot from the oven--as I would always have good food in the oven just in case.  Maybe I'd stop writing or quilting and sit down and visit all afternoon.

In fact, I prefer guests to call before coming so that I can scoop up the messes around the house.  I'm not much of a drop in guest or receiver of drop ins.

I may wear the same jeans two or three days in a row.  Since I tend to eat in the car on trips, an all-white wardrobe would be hugely impractical, and my attempt to pull it off would expose peanut butter stains and drips from Diet Cokes.

The distance between fantasies and reality often spans more miles than the miles it takes to get from one place to another.  But on my next trip, I'm going to try to get it right!