One Year on the Road
One year on the road. That is the current plan. Letting go of convention and convenience for a life on the road in a small travel trailer. It’s difficult to stay grounded and not over romanticize this pending life change. We’ve been restless for so long and the idea of it resonates strongly within our true selves. What was the tipping point?
After my father died something shifted within me (that’s another story for another post) and the world seemed to stop and the reality of my reality was suddenly set ablaze. You sense the nonlinear aspects of time like all the world is really a dream. All those questions about life that you keep buried deep within, keeping them on a tight leash so you don’t stray too far from the rule book of life and from the limits and boundaries set up for us by our betters. Life is meant to be so much more than we are led to believe.
As your loved ones are covered over in dirt and new sod you are both numb and keenly aware at the same time. Becoming aware of your breath, your heart beat, the language of tears. And you wonder, when did you stop listening to the wind and the rain and the soft whisper of the sun?
Folly or Gold
We have had an ache for some time to put some quality back into our lives. This disturbing idea that your whole life should revolve around paying a mortgage is only good for the rule makers. Every time I signed on the dotted line it never felt right – not for a moment. The question now becomes, how much stuff and convenience do we really require? We will soon find out.
The house we have called home for six years will be sold to support this journey into the unknown. We thought this was to be our forever home and labored to make it so under the delusion of convention. Things change very quickly when your employer doesn’t need you any more – no income and no health insurance can swiftly lead to no home. Our lives all tied up and invested in that one fickle entity aka the employer. It seems an absurd construct.
Most of our possessions will also be sold but some will be stored – those precious items that tell the story of us. Clearly, still not 100% committed to this life change and the idea of letting it all go. One year on the road to figure out how to navigate this new existence. There’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity. Time will tell if this choice is folly or gold.
Life is full of stops and starts. This is another start and we hope to find beauty we have not seen before, both in our world, and in ourselves. Take a deep breath, start the engine, and move forward. We invite you to share in our journey as we document the joys and pains of this experience. Thanks for reading.
A Quote
One more thing, I wasn’t looking for any quotes but this fell into my lap today and I quite agree.
“Lose your mind and come to your senses.” – Anna Breytenbach
Update 2022: Wow… I had such aspirations. Such high hopes to experience life in a new way. In such a short time span the world flipped and began operating in a uniform lunacy that still leaves me shaking my head in disbelief. We didn’t get our adventure. At least, not how we had envisioned it. Will humanity rise up to face the devil at their door? Or will they invite him in so he can torch the place? It’s up to us… it has always been up to us. How much of what you believed in 2020 do you see in a different way now?
I wonder sometimes if I have any tears left when I think about our Dad. Then I am reminded of how important he was in our lives and I feel my tears once again. Wishing you God’s speed.
He is a part of this journey still and in large part drives me to pursue this next experience in life. As Dad would have said, “Vaya con Dios, hija mia”.