“Do it while you’re young.” I can’t tell you how many times I heard those words growing up. I heard them from family, friends, T.V., people I aspired to be like, and everywhere in between. I don’t know how many times it took hearing before it sank in, but eventually, it did.
I have lived on three continents, in four countries, and in 12 cities in the past ten years. I am not a military brat. I am not a gypsy (though I might like to be one day). I am not sketchy. I am certainly not running from anything or anyone. If anything, I am running toward something, though I don’t know who, where or what that is. What I do know is that every time I make a move, it is smart. I am always strategic about it, and I always make sure that I cover my bases on the other side.
One day I might expose the stories behind all of my moves. Some were “just because.” Others were for financial gain. Even other relocations were motivated by fame. Once, it was for love, but I moved on still after that. I call many places home. I love that I can relate to so many people and the places that they call home.
Truth be told, I don’t really have a home. “Home” is just a word to me… it is a filler word for some expression that I don’t yet know how to define. I did once have a home. It was in Kentucky, but that was 12 years ago. Am I searching for a new “home?” I don’t think so. I mean, I did watch the movie Up In The Air and was inspired to go shopping for luggage (yes, that happened).
Anyhoot. I digress. “Do it while you’re young.” That’s what they said. And they were right. I can’t keep this up. I will have to, nay, WANT to, settle down sometime. But I am not there yet. Not quite.
More often than I care to think about, people express to me how they wish they “could” go off and do fun things like explore the world and move around, gaining experiences and perspective. Sometimes these people have kids, are in school, married (or nearly so). And to them, my heart goes out. They either missed the boat when they were young or chose to do other things when they were young. There is nothing wrong with the choice, only in regret. In all things, at all times, in all places, you must focus on the positive. Otherwise, you will live a bitter life.
Some people are young, smart, have a degree in hand, nothing tying them down, and say to me, “I wish I could go off exploring the world!” And to them, I say DO IT. Then comes a flood of excuses: ALWAYS. “I have this job…” “My family is here…” “I don’t know where I would go…” “I don’t have enough money to move…” etc., etc., etc.
note: I am the child of 2 Southern Baptist preachers (yes, mom too!), and my dad is a brilliant academic. They have very noble professions and have led very happy lives. My parents are the best I know of, and they have done everything for me, always. But I was reared as far from a silver spoon in my mouth as you can imagine. I have worked since I was 14 and as many as five jobs + college simultaneously to get where I am today, and everything, EVERYTHING I possess is a result of my work, not a trust fund; a lack of money is not an excuse. Just a reflection of a lack of motivation and creativity.
You probably don’t want to move around as I do. It takes real sacrifice. I have a belief that the long-term benefits will be great. That is what keeps me going. But it isn’t easy. If it were easy, then everyone would do it (so they say).
If you want to explore the world, if you wish to have this sort of connectivity with different people and cultures, but don’t know where to start, shoot me a message. I would love to talk about it. What I find is that it is hard to relate my stories and experiences. Most people don’t ‘get it.’
Enough about that. I live without regrets. I love my life. I am just nearing a time when I want to share my super-awesome-crazy-experience-at-every-turn-know-more-people-than-Google-life with someone else.
I am now accepting applications while I am still young.
