Chelan David’s new memoir, Beautiful States of Mind, was not something he planned. Back in 2012, newly single father David was looking for ways to spend quality time with his two daughters after a divorce. “By the time I fed them and everything, it was almost time for bed, so I was looking for a way we could really bond and make some memories together.” A little over ten years later, the trio has visited all 50 states, and David’s memoir was released July 8.
Originally from Kansas, David grew up in Lawrence and moved back to the area in 2013. He and his daughters began taking regional trips in the Kansas area: Atchison, Warrensburg, and Manhattan, before visiting his sister in New York. After that, their travel plans began in earnest. “We went to Boston and then onto visit six states in seven days,” David says. “And that was our favorite trip for a long, long time.” It was always his hope to finish the journey before his oldest daughter graduated high school and with their last trip completed in November, they’re about a year ahead of schedule.
The journeys have many positive memories, with Alaska, the 49th state they visited, recalled as David and his elder daughter’s favorite trip. “Mountains everywhere,” he says. And Hawaii was the highlight for his youngest daughter. But traveling also posed challenges for the family at times. “My daughters were very young when we started traveling, and I was the only driver,” David remembers. “I’d try and break up the day, so we drove for four or five-hour intervals, but sometimes they were much longer. I’m proud that I didn’t get a single speeding ticket!” And while traveling with young children can be taxing—he planned lots of rest and snack breaks—some of his favorite memories are from the early trips. “As time passes, the things that used to drive me crazy—like my daughters fighting in the backseat or the constant question, ‘Dad, how much longer until we get there?’—now bring warm memories.”
David’s love and appreciation of travel endure through the book and in the adventurous attitudes of his daughters. “I like to see different parts of the country, the different cultures and sceneries. Every state has its attributes,” he says. Travel was simply part of how his kids grew up, David explains, and they easily became accustomed to exploring new areas. He was also interested in travel from an early age. “I think you learn to appreciate what different people go through,” he says. “It can make you appreciate things you think are a big deal oftentimes aren’t, because it’s a bigger world.”
As his daughters grew up, the challenges on the road changed. Childhood meltdowns waned but planning around busy schedules got more difficult. “On the other hand,” David says, “the conversations we had about the places we visited are much deeper, which is evident in the later chapters of the book.” How do his daughters feel about the book? “I think they’re pretty excited. There are some things, especially when they’re really young, they’re a little embarrassed about—typical kid stuff,” he says. “But we started roughly when they were five and seven, and now they’re 15 and 17. And they’ve blossomed into pretty amazing individuals. Traveling, it’s certainly not the only thing, but I think traveling helps them appreciate things in life and open their eyes a little, making them empathetic and grateful for what they have.”
Chelan David currently serves as Development Director for Lead to Read KC. His memoir, Beautiful States of Mind, is available through Amazon.
