. . .and, it was WAY better than I imagined.

Perhaps because the last time I ran away, I was 6 years old, and it involved the cops, worried parents and neighbors, and an uneventful conclusion.

It was my brother and fathers fault for not paying attention to me that day, even if it was Super Bowl Sunday.  I was pretty ticked off, so I packed a bag and mapped out my getaway plan.  It was difficult though, since I was not allowed to cross the street.  But given the corner where we lived and technicalities, I could have still gotten pretty far.

Just before I left, I decided to sit in our dark hall closet.  It was a place I often visited when I needed  to talk to G-d and ask advice.  I still have very distinct memories of these conversations that began when I was 3. 

My mother freaked when she got home, seeing the looks on the men's faces when she realized they had no idea where I was.  Lucky for me, by this time, I had fallen asleep and was oblivious to the cops and neighbors just on the other side of the sliding door that were searching everywhere for little old me. 

I had slipped once and let a stranger into my safe confession haven.  She just sat next to me, completely lost at how sitting in a dark closet might be interesting.  Needless to say, I never invited another soul into my safe haven, but I guess everything happens for a reason, because if it was not for her, perhaps my parents would not have found me.

Today, I decided to run away from home again. 

A much needed reprieve to pretend I still have a life of my own. 

A day when I did not have to answer to anyone, or have my kid stalker or husband in tow asking me to cook, clean, do laundry, or bathe them. 

I could follow the day where it lead me, and reinvent myself if I wished.

I drove to a quaint mountain town and roamed around, found a nearby Dairy Queen for an old favorite; an oreo blizzard.

I flirted with a young handsome stranger, made a snow angel, sat at a cafe and tweaked a film treatment for a friend, saw "This is It' reminiscing about different memories and decades in my life, stayed out till after dark, and was completely recharged.

I think I am going to run away from home at least once a month from now on.