Away From Home…Alone

My granddaughter and I took a trip to visit family who lives about three hours away. My granddaughter was so excited to spend the night with her Nashville cousins, but when the time came to leave she and my great-niece had been plotting. They had decided that my great-niece would go back with us and spend the week. We packed her bag and were about ready to leave when she left the room to get her toothbrush and immediately ran back in crying. She had instantly decided that she would get too homesick and she just couldn’t leave. Her little brother, who had been standing there watching all the preparations, very calmly said, “I’ll go.” So off we went to pack his bag.

This little five year old had never spent the night away from home, except at his grandma’s. I told him that his mommy wasn’t going to be there, his daddy wasn’t going to be there, his sister and little brother were not going to be there, it would just be him…alone. He confidently replied, “Okay.” My granddaughter was disappointed that his sister wasn’t coming, but quickly accepted this new traveler.

We just knew that after we got back to Memphis and bedtime came, this brave little traveler would want to go home. Not this boy! He stayed for five days and had so much fun–swimming and playing during the day, Vacation Bible School at night…way too busy to get homesick!

I wanted to photograph him while he was here, but what was his story? Every photograph has a story behind it, but what could convey his? Then it hit me (I’m a little slow at times)… travel! This little guy traveled to Memphis without his family! Of course he traveled by car, but how fun would it have been if he had traveled by train! Use your imagination as you look through these photos and join him on his journey!