Sometimes life’s greatest journeys begin with a leap outside your comfort zone, even if you don’t realize it at the time.
When I think back on my college experience, my mind always drifts to August 1987. Fresh out of high school, I was preparing to leave Pine Bluff, Arkansas—a small, deeply Southern town—for the University of Tampa in Florida. Being the only son of a single mother, this was a monumental moment for both of us. My mother, as any parent would, was ready to send me off in style, planning to fly me out and savor the bittersweet moment of watching her son take flight, literally and figuratively, into adulthood.
But then, plans took a surprising turn.
My friend John, a white classmate I’d known for years, was also headed to the University of Tampa. John and I shared a history—we attended the same junior high and high school, and his baby sister had even been a student in my mother’s kindergarten class. His family and mine knew each other well.
John had one problem: he couldn’t fly to Tampa. Instead, he planned to drive in his old pickup truck, but his father’s schedule meant John needed someone to co-drive with him. His entire chance to attend college hinged on having a road companion.
John turned to me. He explained his situation and asked if I would drive with him to Florida. For John, it was his ticket to a college education. For me, it was an unexpected ask—one that would reshape my journey entirely.
I nervously presented the idea to my mom, fully expecting resistance. But to my surprise, she agreed. Gone was her vision of watching her son board a plane. Instead, she watched me load into a worn pickup truck with my friend to embark on an uncharted road trip through Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
A Journey Through History and Change
Looking back, it’s impossible to ignore the historical context of 1987.
Although Jim Crow laws had officially ended in the 1970s, the remnants of segregation and racial hostility were still deeply ingrained in the South. Interracial friendships and partnerships weren’t exactly the norm, and in many areas, they were outright frowned upon.
Yet there we were: two 18-year-old kids, one Black, one white, rolling through the heart of the Deep South in a pickup truck, focused not on our differences but on the shared excitement of starting a new chapter in our lives.
At the time, I wasn’t thinking about the potential dangers or the cultural significance of our journey. I was just excited to start college, to venture into the unknown, and to share that experience with a good friend.
But now, as I reflect on that moment, I realize how symbolic it was. Our road trip wasn’t just two kids heading off to college—it was a testament to the progress we’d made as a country, even if that progress was still fragile. We weren’t naive to the risks, but in 1987, it felt like there was enough hope and growth to make such a journey possible.
A Lesson in Growth
That trip taught me that stepping outside your comfort zone isn’t always about grand gestures or calculated risks. Sometimes, it’s about saying yes to the unexpected, embracing new possibilities, and trusting in the goodness of those around you.
John and I didn’t just travel to Florida that summer—we became part of a small, hopeful example of what America could be: a place where barriers are broken and where people move forward together, no matter how unlikely the pairing.
So, as you navigate your own life’s journey, consider this: What opportunities might await you if you step outside your comfort zone? What friendships, experiences, or lessons could shape your path in ways you never imagined?
Sometimes, all it takes is saying yes to the unknown.
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