From dream to reality...

For those who aren't aware, for as long as I can remember I've wanted to travel the world. I recall a specific conversation with my brother when I was 12 (my brother was 17 and going off to college soon) that went something like this:

B-"So Andrea, where do you think you want to go to college?"

Me-"I'm only 12! I'm too young to think about that."

B-"Actually 12 is the age you should start thinking about it, I wish I had started planning before I got to high school, it would have made it so much easier."

Me-"Well, I don't know, I don't think I want to go straight to college after high school. I don't really like school that much and I'd like some time off so I don't burnout, you see that all the time, you know."

B-"That's silly, what will you do instead, work at McDonald's?"

Me-"No, I'll travel around the world, go see all the places I've never been."

B-"And with what money? Mom's not rich you know. Only rich kids get to do stuff like that."

Me-"Well I won't need much money, I'll just buy an RV and travel around the U.S. and then take it to Europe and travel there and Asia, then to Australia, then fly to Hawaii and see it, then maybe I'll go to college."

B-"You can't take an RV to Europe, you have to fly and it's too expensive to ship cars."

Me-"Well then, I'll sell my RV before I leave the U.S. and buy a new one in Europe. I probably won't need one for Australia, I'll just go to Sydney and look around by car."

B-"You still haven't told me where you're going to get the thousands of dollars it'll take to do all that."

Me-"I'll work while I travel, each place I go, I'll stay for a little while, long enough to really explore the area and then move on."

B-"Hmph, that's not practical, you're just dreaming."

And so I was. And I kept dreaming this dream for a long time, when I got married, I included my husband and then the kids. And for a long time I didn't think it was practical or possible. Then I started hearing about people doing it and I met a family who were just settling down in Austin, TX after having traveled for 5 years. They called themselves the Barenaked Family.

Not only did this family inspire me to live my dream, but they inspired me to cherish my children. Not to say I didn't cherish my children before, but it was an entirely different experience to look at my children and not see them as an inconvenience or people who needed to be controlled, but as individuals with their own dreams, hopes, desires, and fears.

From there, the rest was downhill. I started seeking out information and methods for self-improvement that would be in line with my values. I participated in some courses from Landmark Education that enabled me to truly let go of the past and live in the present.

Through that, I find myself with RV in hand; definite, solid plans for income to make the RV livable and then a rough idea of how to make a go of it. While you may think that "rough idea" means we're not ready, quite the opposite...I like rough ideas. I am ever-changing and adaptable. Fortunately my husband and children trust me enough to know that whatever happens, whatever I choose, their needs and wishes will be respected.

We plan to hit the road in the new year, January, to be precise.

Kindness in Rememberance

Today, August 13, 2007, marks the second anniversary of the death of Andrea's cousin, Jeremy. Jeremy passed less than a month shy of his 32nd birthday. He was riding his sports motorcycle on a road called the Dragon in Kentucky/Tennessee when his tire hit some oil on the road, he lost control, and swerved into oncoming traffic. While a tragic accident, Jeremy passed doing something that he enjoyed, so those of us who loved him take heart in the fact that he had been happy.

Jeremy was one of the kindest people you could meet. As an older brother, he never got angry with his siblings for tagging along for he understood that it was part of their admiration of him. He didn't necessarily feel that he deserved this admiration, but he was accepting of it. As a cousin, he defended Andrea's desire to tag along with himself and her older brother, Bryon. As a son, he showed kindness to both of his parents, never taking sides in their separation, showing nothing but unconditional love for them both. As a father, he showered the same unconditional love on his two young daughters, helping them both grow into beautiful, loving young girls.

In Rememberance of Jeremy's passing, we celebrate his life with acts of kindness. From today, August 13th, until Jeremy's birthday on September 2nd, we will remember Jeremy with acts of kindness towards our fellow human being. We ask you to join us in remembering this beautiful life by helping to make life beautiful for everyone.

It should not take tragedies like the bombing of the World Trade Center or the collapse of the bridge in Minnesota to bring kindness out of individuals. That person ahead of you in line at the grocery store only needs thirty cents to pay for their groceries and go home. The individual on the side of the road trying to change their tire may not have a cell phone to call for help. It is a more dangerous world today, but mostly because we've stopped helping our fellow man.

Take some time over the next few weeks to demonstrate to the world at large that you are a decent human being. Remember, the kindest act in giving is the one for which you receive no credit.