Once upon a time.......Really, a number of years ago, when I lived in Illinois, my then-husband and I went on a fishing trip to Minnesota.  We had traveled to this spot yearly for a while and it was always relaxing, not always successful as far as fish went,  but a nice place to rest and unwind.  Routinely we would set up camp on the shore, rent a boat and motor from the resort, and spend most of our time on the water.  He would jockey the boat into the best position , park it, and we would then either sit quietly and watch the dragonflies or troll in the weeds for the really BIG fish.  I usually had a book with me and would settle in for the day. 

Long about mid-week I thought of home.  I remember smiling to myself, closing my eyes as I faced into the sun, enjoying the warmth, and beginning to, in my mind, walk through the rooms in my house.  I thought to myself, "Well, I hope I locked the door.  Did I remember to empty the refrigerator of old food?  I vaccumed just before we left so I know things are tidy.  I see that the bathroom door is closed, the bed is made, and the deck chairs are in order."   It only took a few moments for my pretend walk through the house but, somehow, I remember feeling comfort as I mentally went from one end of the house to the other and back again to check things out. (It was a fairly small house-a three bedroom ranch tract home in the suburbs)!

After our week-long vacation we reluctantly headed home and back to our Illinois lives.  We pulled into the driveway and began to do the noisy cleaning up of gear, calling to each other, putting our fishing equipment in the garage, and carrying our luggage and foodstuffs  into the house. 

At that time there was a young couple who lived next door, somewhat close to our age, who shared our odd-shaped, pie wedge of a backyard, because we were on the corner, and the chain-link fence ran diagonally through it.  So, when we would look out the backdoor of our house we would be looking right into their backyard and likewise with them.  We were sensitive to this so we would try to give them as much privacy as possible when they were out in their yard. But it also lent itself to friendships and we would visit often.

Well, my neighbor saw that we were home and came over to see us.  Her name was Joy, the same as mine - how cool was that? (I haven't met too many Joys in my life).  Joy was surprised to see us unpacking everything, so I asked her why.  "Well,"  she said, "I thought you were home Thursday. "  I asked her what made her think we were home then.  It was the oddest thing, she had said, but she had been looking out the back window of her house and she saw me at the window of our bedroom.  She had recognized me and then thought, "Oh, they must be home early.  I hope neither one got sick".  Then she got busy with her little boy and I think they left to visit her parents for a few days. 

So, as she returned home on that Sunday and saw us unpacking from the trip it confused her because she knew we had come home early from Minnesota.  We were surprised by her story and began to laugh, assuring her that, "No, we stayed as long as possible.  It was a great place.  We actually caught some fish this time."  

Suddenly, the hair stood up on the back of my neck and along my arms when I remembered that I had spent a few moments mid-week walking through my house, checking the windows and looking around, but only in my thoughts as I enjoyed the Minnesota summer's day out in that boat.  Joy had said that she saw me for a moment at the window as I walked through all of the rooms.  Had some part of me made that journey for real ? What was that all about?  Can people travel and be in two places at once?  I apparently did so if I can believe my neighbor.  (She really had no reason to make all of that up).  Has that happened to you?  I have been wondering about this "travel by thought" all of these years and still don't know what happened.

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