Texas: Everything IS Bigger

I recently traveled with my husband to Dallas, Texas. He had a conference to attend, and I went along to enjoy the unusually warm weather they were having. Who doesn’t like to sit by the pool in 90-degree weather in October? Let’s not forget the humidity. Gotta store up the big heat and bank it against the long, cold, snowy and dark North Idaho winters.

Texas flag against a beautiful blue sky. (Photo by S. Williams)

I enjoyed learning more about his industry and meeting his people. He’s gregarious and outgoing, and I appreciate his networking skills. He loves people. He’s interested in them and gets them to open up. I’m much quieter but enjoy talking about my writing when people ask what I do. My seat mate on our flight down looked up my book, Love, Emily, on Amazon and said she was downloading it to her Kindle to read on her layover after we chatted. Very cool but so surreal. She was a nurse with a big heart who recently retired but still worked one day a week in home health care because she couldn’t give up her patients.

My husband is my favorite travel partner. When he has free time, we explore whatever city we’re visiting. We take advantage of the hotel's fitness center and pool, and walk around to nearby grocery stores for fresh fare. We meet up for meals throughout the day, if we can, and always have fun at the sponsored events at the conference. We walked a mere third of a mile to a grocery store this trip. Not far in distance, but we crossed seventeen lanes of traffic to get there. That didn’t count the multiple lanes below us on the freeway. Thank goodness for crosswalks, signals, and stoplights. Cars still ignored us and zipped through. Awareness was critical with the big traffic.

I always get good writing done when we travel. I don’t have chores that pull at me when we stay in a hotel. I can’t use laundry, dishes, or gardening as an excuse to put off writing. It’s quiet and someone else does the cooking! New experiences and new people inspire me and challenge me to look at things from a different perspective. It juices my creativity. I reach for the big gift of time and wring out every last drop.

Delicious fall latte. (Photo by S. Williams)

Conversations with our Uber driver, who was originally from Africa, made me view the Pacific Northwest with new eyes. He was very excited that we’d seen a moose in person and was thrilled when we showed him the video. He likes to fish and wants to visit North Idaho to see all of the clean, clear lakes and rivers. He dreams of owning his own home with a yard so he can get a puppy and train it to be a well-behaved part of his family. His gratitude and heart were big. He shared them with us in a simple but meaningful way that made an impact. And he drove us safely through the big, scary traffic!

Mary, the guest services operator took wonderful care of us during our stay at her hotel. She was courteous, professional, kind, and prompt. Despite the hotel being at full capacity, she followed up with a phone call to verify that our needs were being met. Big, impactful customer service.

State Fair of Texas food booth. (Photo by S. Williams)

We spent our last day in Dallas at the Texas State Fair, the biggest in the nation! Are you surprised? Huge selection of rides, animals, cars, exhibits, and food. Lots and lots of food. Everything was supersized! My favorite moment was when we met Crystal, a beautiful Percheron who stood nineteen hands high. She was gentle, curious, playful and had hooves the size of dinner plates. She and her sister, Ruby, travel around Texas to various events. At Christmas, they pull a wagon for residents of assisted living homes, brightening their holiday.

Crystal the Percheron. (Photo by S. Williams)

The adage “Everything’s Bigger in Texas” doesn’t just apply to the land mass, skyscrapers, and food portions. I found it to be present in common courtesies, genuine interest in other people, enlightening teaching methods, and beautiful curiosity in nature. I love it when my expectations are exceeded!

What in your life is super-sized? Please leave a comment.