Words I'd like to reclaim: Journey

It can't always be a metaphor, darn it.

Sometimes a journey is just a journey.

At some time, however, the poor word was shanghai'd by the Dark Lord of Overly-Used Metaphor. It is no longer simply a word to describe a trip from one place to another: it has become synonymous with a Life Journey, or a Journey of the Spirit.

You can tell by my use of capitals that I'm feeling uppity.

Darn you, Journey. I used to be able to pull into a rest stop for  a Timmies, now I have to stop in order to gain valuable life experience. It used to be easy to ask a buddy along; now, if I ask a friend to come on a journey with me, they begin to make wedding plans.

Let me tell you something, Journey: it's not always about testing your faith. Sometimes it's about testing every butter tart in every bakery along the route. Sometimes it's about listening to The Barenaked Ladies for the entire 4 hours. Sometimes it's about just getting the heck out of the house.

I don't want to hurt your feelings, Journey, but sometimes personal growth is a load of hooie.

Come back down to the real world, Journey. Cut your ties to reality television; those people need to make an effort to find a word which more accurately describes whatever it is they're doing. Come back to the real world, and we'll pack us a toothbrush and $5. We'll pile into the car and take a journey, from point A to point B.

And I suspect that will be as far as we need to go.