I love the community we are in. It has been a wonderful place to raise our two children. Situated next to a major university has been great because we love college sports. As an added bonus, my DH has been a statistician for football and basketball so I often am able to attend games for free. The weather is not bad except in August (SOOOO HOT) and in February (GLOOMY, RAINY AND COLD). My job with a local dentist has been very rewarding and the 33-year relationships I formed with our patients still warm my heart.
So what IS the problem? The problem is that this community, my job and I have grown apart. Our friendships were initially other college students; then after children it was the parents of our kid’s friends. Next came camaraderie with travel team parents when our youngest played Gold level softball in Houston. Alas our oldest child married and moved away and our youngest received a scholarship out of state. Over time we have lost touch with many of our friends. In my profession, I have achieved the highest level possible and now find myself feeling 
restless.. Within the community, sports are still exciting but we have visited and enjoyed every hiking and biking park and identified every bird ever seen here. Texas is vast and to go anywhere else scenic requires a very long travel day or a weekend stay. So that feeling of been there, done that, is stifling me because I love trees, rivers, mountains and especially the beach and the sea. I yearn to leave the feeling of being trapped and starved for diversity.
Imagine my elation when my DH suggested RV full timing. A home on wheels giving us freedom to relocate and the affordability to see all of our youngest child’s senior season of softball and subsequent graduation. Wow! Of course I jumped on it. So much to see and experience! I accept the sacrifices. The downsizing was initially
shocking to me but in retrospect, it feels cathartic. I love the way the house looks. You just don’t realize the clutter and overage of STUFF you have until you begin to purge. It is really a great experience because it makes me pay attention to the fact that STUFF does not matter at all. Why did I think it so important to keep acquiring stuff when the relationships I enjoyed have given me the happiest of memories? The new simple lifestyle we are planning 
for will help me be present in all my relationships as well as the beauty and majesty of nature without the distractions and pressures of our former life. I am so looking forward to enjoying and savoring the experiences I anticipate we will have. For now I have to be content with the promise of tomorrow. Sigh…….this been there done feeling will just have to be the way it is until March 2011.
What a terrific attitude! You can only put so much 'stuff' in your home, RV, etc..but your relationships & memories are limitless.
ReplyDeleteI see your countdown, and am jealous. We can go full time officially 7/14/2012. I hope the houses sell by then!
Laurie
It really does take two. My husband was the first to suggest the idea, but it went nowhere. This spring I decided if we were going to do it we had to get our #^*@ together and fix the house and purge the stuff. After it became apparent that I was going to "do It" he came onboard and has been working on the house some hours each weekend. But the very idea of purging his stuff seems to make him very unhappy. So we shall see what the future brings.
ReplyDeleteWe are a lot older than you are. If we are going to do it we have to do it soon!
MY target date is 10/1/2011 for getting the house on the market. When we leave is up to the market!
You are so very right about the "stuff". We're purging now and the house has officially been listed. We have a lot more stuff to get rid of, but we're doing it as fast as we can.
ReplyDeleteI have the same college town experience in Virginia. The same stages although we came here after college to work at the University. But the parents of children's friends, their activities and the changes as you've been and done all the hiking, biking, kayaking that are nearby. My restlessness over all this is definitely one of the big things that led to our full timing plan. We left the jobs today and will be on the road in a week. Hope we'll meet you at the Rally or in a great spot in nature.
ReplyDeleteI agree totally with Laurie and George in wishing us all ease with the sale of the houses and with our transitions to our dream life on the road. I hope to see you all on the road. The Mrs.
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