Oh, the Places I Would Go :: Traveling Through my Son’s Teleporter

Oh, the Places I Would Go :: Traveling Through my Son’s Teleporter

My 7 year old son wants to be “some kind of a scientist that builds things” when he grows up. He often drafts his own blueprints then attempts to make them come to life with all the boxes, tape, and staples he can get his hands on. He’s a little inventor with a big imagination.

Lately, he has been bored with our long car rides all over town (school drop offs, pick-ups, errands, activities, you get the idea). He is fascinated with the idea of being transported across time and place, instantly. It has become his life’s mission to invent a real life ‘Teleporter’ when he grows up. One that would enable us to travel back in time, into the future, or simply from the breakfast table to his classroom, within seconds. The possibilities are endless.

For now, in an attempt to make our car rides a bit less stressful and ‘boooring’ (the kids hate listening to me sing along to country love songs, which I can’t understand), we’ve come up with a new game that he, his little sisters, and I like to play. One by one we imagine when and where we’ll go in the Teleporter, and share it out loud. We’ve come up with some really fun and exciting adventures!

But this really got me thinking … if this Teleporter were actually a thing, what would I do with it?

Obviously, I would use it often and wisely in real-time to get from point A to point B within seconds. I mean, who doesn’t want more hours in a day? But in terms of time and place travel, when and where would I choose to go, who would I choose to see, and why?

Well, I’m a planner (and a dreamer), so I decided to jot down some ideas for when this Teleporter is ready to launch. I kept within these two simple rules we use, for consistency:

#1. Time will freeze (i.e., real-time stands still) while you’re on your journey, so you don’t miss anything or compromise future plans.
#2. You go it alone because this is your journey. Parental supervision is not required for the little ones (because we’re still imagining here).

So, here it is. My list of places I would travel to through time and place in my son’s Teleporter:

1. Back to my Nona’s little kitchen, in the small Italian neighborhood in East Haven, CT. To have coffee, enjoy her homemade cooking (and icebox cake!), and just listen to my grandparents tell stories. I would soak in all their love, experience, and wisdom again. Because God knows I need it now more than ever, on all things marriage, raising children, and living a humble and honest life of faith and service.

2. Back to those first couple times I (thought I) fell in love, and the first time I really fell in love with my husband. Because there’s nothing else in the World like those fluttering butterflies in your tummy, and the anticipation of the next time you’ll kiss or hold hands again. (Ah, to be young again!)

3. Back to the very moment I laid eyes on each of my newborn babies, held them swaddled in my arms, and nursed them for the first time. Because I suddenly felt what it was like to hold pieces of my own heart and know unconditional love. (Not to mention the kind of pain you endure to literally keep your new kid alive. Latching hurts!)

4. Back to the last time I saw my late brother, the weekend of my wedding. I would hug his neck, ask him questions, and let him know how much he was loved. I miss him and wish things could have been different. I wish my sister and I could sit down with him to share stories.

5. Back to all times and places when I got to travel carefree, see incredible parts of the World, and visit family in other countries. Before I was an anxious flyer, and before I had so many grown-up responsibilities (and bills). I would soak in all the beauty, adventure, company, food, and culture. (And, since we’re dreaming, throw in ‘accents and foreign languages spoken by tall handsome men.’ Sorry, honey. You can look, too, is that fair?)

6. Back to the happiest moments of my childhood, before I knew anything about bullying and jealousy and pain and heartache. When my little nucleus of a family was my safe place and all I ever needed was my mom and dad. Just to be reminded what that was like, once upon a time. And to be reminded of what my kids need, right here, right now.

The list could go on and on, but as I began to write these down something hit me. Never once do I choose to take the Teleporter into the future.

Of all of my imagined time and place travel, it would always take me back, back, back in time. But why?

I suppose I don’t want any spoiler alerts for what’s to come. I don’t want to stress any more than I already do about what the future holds, or how fast time will pass. I want to hold on to the sweetest, most innocent moments in life and hang on tight. I want to be reminded to enjoy today and use this moment wisely.

Because someday, when my son’s invention is patented and his Teleporter is ready to launch, this just might be the very moment I want to travel through time and place to, when and where I can use my imagination and share dreams and stories with my beautiful young children.

Oh the places I would go, to be reminded of so many wonderful things!

So, where would you go?

Elizabeth
Elizabeth is a work-from-home research analyst for a competitive intelligence consulting firm specializing in the pharm/biotech industry. Most importantly, she's a wife and a mother to three energetic children ages 7, 5, and 3. Born and raised in Lafayette, she went to Millsaps College, then up to Boston University for graduate school where she earned two Master’s Degrees in Communication and Public Health. It was there she fell in love with the city and a handsome law school student from Ipswich, MA. They eventually moved (back) to Lafayette to pursue career opportunities and start a family. Now, when she’s not working, shuttling between car lines and one hundred after school activities, feeding kids, washing dishes, packing lunches, picking up toys, helping with homework, or tackling a never ending to-do list she wishes would do itself (breathe), she attempts to 'practice running' for her first half-marathon in Disney while simultaneously training for her first trip there with the kids.