The musings are my place just to share what’s on my mind. Not so much what I’ve done, where I’ve been or how I rate something. Today’s musings are all about being thankful. I should point out that while many of today’s musings were formed on the morning drive over. It is evening and I’m sitting beside a campfire.
My ex and I started full time a little over two years ago. We never got to do what we planned. First my dad’s stroke and then her change of heart. I started this journey wondering if I even should. I’m not going to lie. I often think how much she would enjoy something I’m doing.
I questioned this so much that I didn’t even make formal plans to come west until I was home for Christmas. This may have cost me some better campsites but it hasn’t cost me the adventure, the beauty or the work life balance. I’m thankful for the opportunity afforded me to live each day in a location of my choosing. I work just as hard but at the end of my day I’m someplace I can explore as easily as going to the supermarket.
I setup the camper this afternoon just outside the gates to another beautiful National Park. I’m close enough to log off at the end of the day and be on a hiking trail 15 minutes later. For this I’m thankful. I’ve experienced so much in a short period of time. By the end of this journey I will have seen almost as much of this country in 4 months as I have in my previous 55 years on this rock. Thankful!
I’ve always had a wanderlust and it took me 55 years to realize that the only person keeping me from fulfilling it was me. I was fortunate to have a job that changed during Covid that allowed me to do this. But the truth is I could have changed jobs and made it happen at almost any point in my life. It might not have been as comfortable or with all the accoutrements but it could have happened none the less. So it’s late but I’m so thankful for the opportunity.
The drives on this adventure have been amazing. You don’t see it this way if you fly to your destination. 3 to 5 hours driving through ever changing vistas provides a lot of time for retrospection. I have to say, I love this life. I appreciate the friends who have come to visit or that I’ve crossed paths with. I have met and shared conversations with so many new people, like a guy named Ashely. Conversation started with a Roll Tide! Because one of us had an Alabama hat on. He and his wife are from Alabama and I will probably run into them again. I met Ashley and Jess, from Cleveland, who asked me if they could take a picture for me and we ended up hiking down the mountain together talking. Those girls were fun and I hope we cross paths in the future and share a craft beer. Jess is into craft beer. I’m thankful for the human interaction.
As I sit here in front of the flames from the fire and reflect. I realize that I have been on sensory overload for weeks now. Just driving too and from dinner or the store usually has amazing views and I often just say WOW out loud. I’m sure people who live here think nothing of it but I’ve never seen anything like it. This is the problem with staying in one area for your entire life. I think there are many months of living out here in my future. I’m thankful for the opportunity.
As I continued to think about things I was thankful for. I continually come back to the fact that I have this opportunity before retirement. While I’m still relatively healthy and fit. I doubt that I could do some of these things if I had to wait till I retired. Just my ankle problem sidelined me from some things. My knees get sore during and after long hikes. I can only imagine what that will be like 12 to 15 years from now.
We live in a time, that for all societies problems, is still so full of opportunity. We are blessed to live in these times and this country, where you can make almost anything a reality with some planning and sacrifice. I’m thankful for the opportunities afforded me and I encourage all of you to make your life something that you can be thankful for everyday.