Saturday, August 7, 2010

Weekend Warriors

 Me and my husband, both 35 y/o, with daughters 14 & 2, are working on being balance. Focusing on  needs instead of wants and in simplifying life while  discovering and appreciating the beauty of the world around us.

We love to travel and the outdoors. It brings us close to each other and close to nature. Our stress reliever from the rat race. Helps us relax, unwind, recoup.

In summer of 2007, we checked out 7 states in a month long road trip. My father in law was diagnosed and was being treated for cancer then. We kind of forced him to come with us... because he did not even want to get out of bed due to his condition. But eventually, during the trip, he started to enjoy the places and the activities and started to forget his depressing state. We left the Grand Canyon and came back to Washington for his doctor's appointment, and to everyone's amazement, his test results came back: cancer-free!

After wards, 3 states in 2008, and a month in the Philippines in 2009. Early this year, we visited the 4 islands of Hawaii.  But we have been on the road as weekend warriors whenever we get the chance, mostly boondocking or in RV campgrounds. My father in law is always the first one packed and ready to go every time. For years, his life was just home-work-home, day in and day out routine. Now, he enjoys spontaneity and the role of a cool grandpa.

We are always looking forward to learning new things, meeting new friends, trying new stuff, and heading to new places. For fun adventures and for the experience of the journey itself... our family takes on a different way of enjoying life!

By the end of this month, we'll be moving out of our 3 bedroom/2 bath apartment,  dispose most of our material possession and live full time in our 33' Class A RV. Looking forward to join FOTR.

For most people, it's a crazy move!!! We already got some of those response when we decided on  homeschooling my teen. But for people who understand and value family time, freedom, the love of learning and living the life, we received commendations.

It does takes courage to let go of things, to venture beyond ones comfort zone, or to stop conforming to what the society dictates. But I do find these words encouraging...

The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page. -- Saint Augustine

20 yrs from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -- Mark Twain

To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted. ---Bill Bryson, in introduction to "The Best American Travel Writing 2000"

....so it's pretty exciting!!!

 

 

 

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