My dream as a young kid was to travel the world. My dads dream for me was to travel the world. Possibly his dream for himself as he had a taste of it before locking himself into the nine to five regimen to retirement, while setting himself up to travel through his retirement years. I believe in this moment in time, he is in Scotland with a group of friends.
How did he get so lucky?
This dream I had started around age six when I decided I would run away from home. I tried down the street a time or two, that only got me into trouble, so I dreamt about it instead. I desired to go to Australia as I believed that to be as far away as I could go. Then I shortened it to Maine. Maine seemed far away from California where I lived.
In 1994 I moved to Alaska. I had the idea that it would be different there and in many ways it was. In many other ways, it was the same. I grew in Alaska, I met amazing people, experienced amazing things, some life threatening things and some not so pretty things. I had a second life in Alaska and any time I return, she opens her arms and welcomes me home with an expansion and nurturing that only the vast lands of Alaska can provide. In 2009, living in Alaska became confined, far away from the possibilities I desired and I packed up my family and headed to the lower 48 in 2010.
My world expanded beyond a fear of driving, beyond a fear of doing it on my own, beyond the restriction of confined life when I took a job with a clothing designer. I remember the moment when I was speaking with a friend and she told me about the job. It paid $150 a day, travel with paid expenses, discount on clothes and commissions. I looked at her and said, how does a job like this exist and I never knew about it before? I was blown away.
In that couple of years I traveled the states, sometimes in planes and sometimes driving. I met people from all over, created friendships I still have today and experienced a lifestyle I never knew possible.
Since then I have driven, and moved, across this country multiple times, alone, with others and a little bit of both. I have found a part of me, a gypsy soul that allows me to be totally mobile, receiving of others, resourceful and having my own back no matter what. I also found a part of me that recognizes it’s not about where you are in the world as much as it is about who you choose to be where ever you are, here on this planet.
This is where I segue to the present.
I am in awe of this journey sometimes, more often than not. Today is one of those days.
I get to travel the world from my home, or where ever I am at the moment. I get to live here next to the ocean, surrounded by forest, on a hill in temperate weather with mountains all around and travel the globe.
What am I talking about?
At any given time I am speaking with, and communing with, some of the most wonderful people all over the planet. In many languages.
How did I get so lucky?
The conversations I am having with people from all over the world, sometimes creating, sometimes logistical, sometimes it’s request and sometimes, it’s everyday conversations about everyday things that allows me to realize…
It doesn’t matter where in the world you are, it matters who you choose to be.
I personally like ease in my life, I tried life the hard way, many different hard ways and I like ease. What is that brilliant question my dad asks every time I talk to him, but sweetheart, are you having any fun? I used to say, well dad, there is this and that and that and this first. You know what I was creating with that point of view, a lot more of this and that.
Are you having any fun?
I chose a place to park my things and call home that creates ease for me and for my body. A place that has lush thriving land and water.
That is what I like.
What is it that you like and what have you decided that doesn’t match what you like that you suffer through without any possibility of choice?
There are not so kind places to live. There are not so kind people on this planet. There are countries and places with rules and limitations, that is not what this is about.
It’s about who would you like to be and find the place that matches that. Traveling the world isn’t always about you taking your body to some other location. Another place isn’t always better or worse and no matter where you live, where you come from, you can create a problem or possibility.
There are countries full of limitations and people in those countries choosing something greater for themselves, for their country and for the greater good.
Consciousness is not bound by borders and neither are you.
Michelle
