A haphazardly planned trek across the United States accompanied by some high school friends promised summer adventure. A simple journey, however, became a life defining month. When Katie, Kaitlin, and I piled into my Ford Freestyle on an early July morning, I had no clue that I was about to meet some of the most fascinating people sprinkled across the United States.

In heedless Kerouac fashion, we departed for a fantastic adventure with a skeleton itinerary.

The final destination was clearly identified: California. Our journey there, however, and the actual activates were of a formative design. Although we had set the dates for the trip months in advance, we didn’t concretely plan more than the date that we would pick up our friend, Kyle, in Arizona, the people with whom we would stay along the way, and some major destinations that we wanted to visit. Yes, the the lack of planning was partially due to the encompassing circumstance- four teenagers were planning a month long trip-, but we also relished the wakefulness that unrestricted experience presented.

Our bare itinerary (and our modest pocketbooks) produced a road trip unlike most that I have ever seen in movies. We did experience many of the touristy destinations that are essentially required of any road trip to California. We spent a day at the Grand Canyon, explored downtown Los Angeles, appeared in the studio audience of Conan, explored Fisherman’s Pier in San Francisco, and indulged in other touristy explorations. Each of these experiences was fantastic and added considerably to the summative worth of the trip (especially the day at the Grand Canyon), but the experiences that I appreciate exponentially more are those we spent with people we met along the way.

One of the key aspects of the skeleton itinerary that we did compile before we hit the road was a list of our contacts that lived out west. These people welcomed us into their homes, shared their cultures with us, and showed us their favorite local places. The conversations we shared and the places we explored with them enable me to say that I am now an acquaintance of the West. I have talked and eaten with the West.

One of the most memorable evenings that I had on this trip was one of the quietest. We were nearing San Francisco when we stopped to eat dinner with a couple that Katie knew from her childhood. Though we remained on their property for the duration of our visit, I learned and experienced a great deal. The woman had a passion for papermaking, and she showed us how to make our own paper. I never realized that papermaking is such an intricate process of blending paper with the right level of water and adding various elements to reach a desired texture. They also prepared us a feast of grilled steak, freshly picked corn, and steamed green beans. Over a scrumptious dessert of berry cobbler made with local berries, they shared the amazing story of how they met on a white water rafting trip and other stories that earn them the title of professional explorers. That evening spent at a little cottage in the California country with an authentic couple will forever remind me to say yes to adventure.

If we had crafted an itinerary that required a strict schedule excluding the possibility for last minute visits and leisurely evenings, I would have missed out on fantastic stories and experiences. I would have missed out on berry cobbler and the crust of our trip.

The evening with the adventurous couple, along with other numerous evenings filled with now dear acquaintances, taught me to take charge of my time and to live intentionally. The United States pushes a culture that applauds being “so busy” and in demand. This trip taught me to reject that argument; it taught me to never be too busy. I want to dedicate myself to quality endeavors and to do them well; I want to have free evenings to connect with friends and strangers; I want to enjoy every moment without worrying about being late to the next one.

Naturally and generously, I want to live.