Narrative Essay on The Importance of Travel

I believe in the importance of travel. In the past decade, I have traveled to Hawaii, Mexico, Jamaica, as well as the Cayman Islands. Traveling, regardless of the distance, has the potential to change your life long after you return home. 
Last July, an old friend of mine, Agata, messaged me after a year of silence. She was wondering if I would be willing to drive around with her. Agata had just received her license and longed for someone to explore the town with. The moment I sat in her car, it was an automatic revival of friendship. We drove from Little Elm to Lewisville, and then to Lake Dallas. My friend and I spent all night in the car looking at expensive houses for sale, watching the sunset at Grapevine Lake, and blasting music down roads I had never previously driven. Now, we do everything together. Every weekend, the two of us take turns driving somewhere new. The two of us have explored beautiful places in nature, old buildings, and have made new friends along the way. My friend and I have even worked at the same place together twice. While we never went more than an hour away from home, that night has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives.
Last summer, my mother and I drove to Florida after quarantining the summer prior. We stopped in Georgia after thirteen hours of continuous driving and spent the night in a hotel. The both of us had not spoken to my great-aunt and great-uncle in years because of a past conflict. Surprisingly, they asked us both to stop by and pick up an old jewelry box of my great-grandmother’s while we were out of state. As my mother turned onto their street, which neither of us had seen in quite some time, we expressed a mutual feeling of anxiety. Once invited into the house, the four of us sat down and began catching up on all the lost years. My mother and I stayed at their house hours after we had initially planned. We all got along better than my mother could have imagined, and they showed interest in being in our lives. As the night ended, all of us said our goodbyes, and my great-aunt gave me a Gardenia from her garden. Although those memories were not of my vacation itself, I will forever hold that night close to my heart. From this day forward, when I see a Gardenia, I am brought back to that night.
Traveling can create memories far beyond just the places you visit. Leaving the comfort of one's home and accepting adventures as they come has the potential to alter every part of life for the better. Consequently, had I not taken these opportunities, I would be without my best friend and would have never rekindled my relationship with my family.