A Gypsy Itinerary
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It is no secret that I love to travel. Although I enjoy a vast array of jaunts to here and there, I am particularly drawn to nature. Flora and fauna restore my depleted attention circuit and replenish my creativity and problem-solving skills. But my utopia may not be your merriment. Happiness is individual. But sadly, we often seek it where it cannot be found. Money, titles, jobs, and cars are only hollow triumphs in the pursuit of happiness. As for me, that lesson and the quest to find my joy have been years in the making.
Lessons I learned or (confirmed on this journey)
Life is all about
the journey and less about the destination.
I was and still am
often in a hurry to get somewhere or to finish something. The first thing that
I set out to do post retirement was to retrain myself to be present of everyone
and everything around me. It is taking much
work, but slowly, I am beginning to be mindful of the things I see, smell, and taste and to savor them. I feel as though I am more in tune to my
surroundings and try to be cognizant of what is in front of me in the moment.
But I think this road trip helped develop a habit of slowing down and relishing
life in the understated moments as well its highlights.
Stay a student of the things that bring you happiness and fulfillment. We all have a tendency to lose connection with what we loved as a child. Something about the social pressures of adolescence and professional demands of adulthood squash our passion right out of us. What we are drawn to by its very nature, may be unique and unconventional and that is perfectly ok. Nothing says inner strength like going against the herd mentality.
Death or the fear of it is the only thing that gives us perspective on the value of our lives. Because it’s only by imagining your non-existence that you can get a sense of what is most important about your existence. Cancer can do that better than anything. It is a master at teaching the difference between being alive and just living.
Your family and friends are the icing on
the “cake of life”. Preserve
them with all your heart, but don’t sacrifice yourself for the sake of someone
else, even if it is someone you love.
You have one shot at life. Take your
best shot. The most painful angst we can feel is the sting of
regret.
I also reaffirmed that……
There is no experience like life experience.
Every day is another chance to get it right.
Nobody has it all figured out.
Everything involves sacrifice. Everything includes
some sort of cost. The key is to figure out what price you are willing to pay.
Life moves in one direction by way of the past, the
present and the future. You decide where to spend your time.
Count your blessings every day.
And at my age, time is much more valuable than money.
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Places that I’ve visited on this road trip
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Top Ten
10. Henry Miller
Memorial Library
(I love books, woods, creeks and quiet and this checked all of those boxes)
9. Sausalito House
Boats
(The houseboats are exceptionally unique and I LOVE the back story)
8. Grand Canyon
(It would not have made my top ten under normal circumstances, but seeing it at
sunset was mesmerizing.)
7. Muir Woods (Again, I love
woods, creeks, quiet and man that sunlight peeking in on those Redwoods was
phenomenal)
6. Hot Air Balloon
Ride in Lake Tahoe (Got it off my bucket list and was pleasantly
surprised of how much I liked it. Of
course, seeing Lake Tahoe from 10,000 feet above didn’t hurt.)
5.Big Sur Coast (I know this is not specific, but it covers a lot of things that would have otherwise been in my Top five. McWay Falls, Pfeiffer Beach, Gorda Springs, Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, Point Sur Lighthouse, Palo Colorado Canyon! To me, there is no place like Big Sur on EARTH,)
4. Salinas/Monterey (The setting of a John Steinbeck novel at every turn. I felt like a character in one of his books the entire time.)
3. Point Lobos (The trails along
the rocky hills leading to breathtaking lookout points at the edge of Pacific
Ocean, Bird Rock, Whaler’s Cove, the scuba divers, the seals and their baby
pups, the artists with their easels. I
can go on and on and on)
2.Yosemite (It’s so picturesque
that even when you see it in person, you still don’t believe it is real.
1. Bike riding the
17 Mile Dr. (At
the age of 57, I put myself out there. I chose my own journey. It was
excruciating. I really died twice. But I had faith in myself. I believed. If I
can do it, so can YOU! Trust me on that.
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Best Times/Favorite Moments (in no particular order)
Open mic Night Henry
Miller Memorial Library
Bike riding the 17
Mile Dr.
Picnicking on the
cliffs at Point Lobos
Happy Hours at
Fernwood Tavern
Watching the
sunset over the Grand Canyon
Cocktails at
Mission Ranch
Meditating at New
Camaldoli Hermitage
Hot Air balloon
Ride in Lake Tahoe
Snowmobiling at
Lake Tahoe
Watching waterfalls
in Yosemite
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So grateful for this awesome experience. Now I'm eagerly planning my next adventure. Wanderlust is in my blood. Stay golden my friends.✌💓😊
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