Loving Your Travel Companion

Traveling alone is not near as much fun or enjoyable as traveling with our spouse.  We share many things while traveling down the road.  We aslo face and share challenges.

In this episode I speak to the importance of loving our travel companion.  It takes effort sometimes but it is always rewarding.

Transcript

Hello fellow Sojourners.  I’m your host Dave Laton and welcome to Travel With A Purpose, a podcast designed to keep Sojourners and friends informed, entertained, and inspired.

 Have you noticed that travel has a way of revealing things. It shows us beautiful scenery, interesting people, and sometimes… parts of ourselves we didn’t expect to see.

Today I want to talk about something every traveling couple experiences sooner or later: loving your spouse while traveling.

Because traveling together doesn’t just test your patience, it can also strengthen your love.

Those of us that have spent time traveling with our spouse know what I’m talking about.  I joke about how once Lynne and I lived in our camper for three months as we helped establish a new congregation…and we’re still married!

Let’s look at the reality of traveling together.  

Travel looks romantic in photos.  We see the sunsets, the mountains, the peaceful campgrounds, and the smiling couples sitting beside a campfire. 

But anyone who has actually traveled together knows there are other moments too.

Moments like: 

• backing an RV into a tight campsite
• navigating confusing highways
• deciding where to eat after a long day
• or realizing one of you packed something important… and the other forgot it.

Travel has a way of compressing life.  Instead of spreading life out over days and routines, travel places us together in a smaller space, with new decisions constantly needing to be made. And sometimes those moments reveal something important about how we love one another.

Something I’ve noticed, travel reveals our heart to each other.  One of the things travel does is remove the normal distractions of life. At home, we have activities, schedules, responsibilities, maybe hobbies.  We also have separate spaces where we escape for a while.

But when you travel, you’re together a lot. Which means attitudes show up. Tone of voice shows up. Patience, or lack of patience shows up.

Travel doesn’t create issues, it often reveals them. But that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it can be an opportunity.

The Bible gives us a powerful standard for love in Ephesians 5:25: 

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” 

I’m not picking on husbands in this because the same principle is true for our wife.

That kind of love Paul is speaking of isn’t about convenience. It’s about sacrifice, patience, and intentional care.

And travel provides dozens of opportunities to practice that kind of love. It might look like:

• letting your spouse choose the next stop
• slowing down when they are tired
• listening instead of insisting
• laughing when plans change.

 Sometimes loving well simply means choosing peace over proving a point.

 One of the wonderful things about traveling together, especially on a sojourn is the memories we create.

 Years later, we may forget the exact mileage or the price of fuel. But you will remember:

• the time we got lost and discovered a beautiful back road
• the small diner where we shared a great meal topped of with a slice of delicious peach cobbler topped off with some cool, sweet vanilla ice cream. 
• the sunset we watched together in complete silence.
• Maybe the excitement of turning into the gate at Camp Bee after a long journey and being greeted with warmth and love by our fellow Sojourners.

Those shared moments become part of our story.

Travel weaves experiences into the fabric of our marriage. And every mile becomes another thread.

 If you travel long enough, something will go wrong. A tire may go flat. A reservation may get mixed up. The weather may refuse to cooperate.

But often the most important choice in those moments is how we treat each other.

I mean by that, that grace matters. Instead of blame, choose encouragement. Instead of frustration, choose patience. Instead of sharp words, choose kindness. Because the truth is, most travel problems eventually become stories we laugh about later. But the way we speak to each other in the moment…that’s what we remember most.

 Let me offer three simple practices that can make a big difference.

 First, communicate often (and that includes truly listening). Don’t assume. Ask. Talk about plans, expectations, and preferences.

 Second, make space for each other. Even in a small RV or camper, everyone occasionally needs a quiet moment. Respect that.

 Third, keep your sense of humor. Travel is full of unexpected moments. Laughing together may be the best travel skill of all.

 There’s also a deeper lesson here that we need to be reminded of.

 Marriage itself is a journey. Two people traveling the road of life together. There are smooth highways and winding roads. There are scenic overlooks and unexpected detours. But when love, grace, and faith guide the journey, the destination becomes richer. And along the way, we discover that the greatest blessing is not simply where we go…It’s who we travel with.

So wherever today’s road finds you rolling down the interstate, setting up camp, or planning your next adventure take a moment to appreciate the person beside you.

Speak kindly.

Listen carefully.

Laugh often.

And remember that loving your spouse well may be the most important journey you ever take. 

Thanks for listening to this podcast.  I invite you to subscribe and share it with others.  I’m your host Dave Laton and remember we glorify God as together we, “Travel With A Purpose”!  Happy Sojourning!