A Purpose

Not working for a year sounds great, doesn’t it? It did to me too. At first. Then I started to get scared.  Scared of not having an employer or work to provide me with a sense of purpose.  I know, it's silly to have work define me, but it is true.  Not completely, but mostly.  Work is a big part of who I am.  Who am I without work?  How does one find purpose in a year of travel? Seeing the sights didn’t seem purposeful enough or life changing enough. Then a friend introduced us to Servas – an organization that matches hosts with travelers with the idea of spreading peace by interacting with local people and learning about their lives. Whew. I found it.  I found purpose for traveling the world. We’ll be sleeping in our host’s homes, sharing a meal and potentially helping with daily chores. As we meet new people around the globe you can bet that our beliefs will be challenged, our perspectives transitioned, our hearts opened and we can’t wait. So, in addition to seeing the sights and being tourists; we’ll be learning and getting to know others who share our planet; in their own home. Being ambassadors of learning and peace suits us well and we hope we can live up to our new purpose, our new job.

They should call it Insurance Reform. Our personal experience.

It seems appropriate to post our experience with insurance given that the Healthcare Bill was made law today. Healthcare reform is not the right label for the issue. Healthcare doesn’t need fixing. Doctors, nurses and surgeons are skilled and compassionate and don’t need overhauling. Hospitals and surgery centers are state of the art. It’s the insurance industry that needs to be melted down and redesigned for the current times. It’s outdated, too powerful and needs to be reconfigured from scratch. Not tweaked.


As we prepare for our travels, we’re applying for private insurance that will only be necessary if we have to come back to the US for an unexpected reason. (We’ll be covered by another policy for care needed internationally.) The policy we’d like has a $10,000 deductible, won’t be touched for 12 months, and we can’t get it. We’re experiencing firsthand the inequities and crazy policies of insurance. We were denied coverage by one company for having the term ‘degenerating’ in a medical file. Give me a break, who isn’t degenerating? We’re humans, we’re aging, we’re active. The body breaks down. A degenerating knee is considered a preexisting condition so we’re considered uninsurable, too risky; even with a $10,000 deductible. There is something terribly wrong with this system. How can they only insure completely healthy people? If the issue had been called Insurance Reform, it’s not only more accurate but our guess is that more people would get behind the change that is required. times.

Letting go of Stuff Part 2

A few days after packing our stuff and being very satisfied with the result I woke up struggling with the image of us traveling with that stuff and said to Steve, concerned about his response; "we're too heavy".  Without hesitation, he said "I agree".  So we're doing the unthinkable and reducing again.  If an item doesn't have multiple uses, it's replaced.  If there is too much of one item, it's downsized.  If' it's a nice to have, it's eliminated.  I have to ask, what have I signed up for?  Deciding to take a year to see some of the world is one thing, reducing my belongings to 1.5 small bags is something else completely!  The reality of not having my stuff is hitting me.  I may have momentary panic attacks but the excitement and wonder of our travels still outweighs leaving behind a pair of shoes.

Letting go of Stuff

We trial packed the other night. Oh boy… what an eye opener that was. How do I pare down what I already thought was the bare minimum? I haven’t left the comfort of my home yet and I’m out of my comfort zone already. Leaving my closet behind is far from comforting, a bit troubling actually. What a reality check - I’m tied to my things more than I thought. I know, I know - It’s not the things in life that truly matter.  This journey is testing me on not just paying that truth lipservice and I haven't stepped on the plane yet.  It’s simple to say that it’s not about the things in life; really hard to live it. At least for me. I admit it; I like choices. Maybe I need a 12 step program for an addiction to choice. But I have to ask myself - do I like choice in wardrobe more than not carrying lots of stuff; for a year? The choice is made and the test has begun.  My bags are full. Fortunately my heart and mind have limitless capacity for all the stuff in life that aren't things and I don't even need to trial pack to know that.

Tending my garden for someone else

Buds are forming, weeds are sprouting, lime green leaves are appearing; Portland is emerging from winter, and we’re gardening for someone else. I love watching our garden awake from its slumber and this year we will leave as it's waking up and this makes me a bit sad. As I pull weeds and trim back the brown of winter I can’t help be somewhat jealous of our renters as well. They will be enjoying the fruits of labors and this brings a strange, bittersweet feeling. I have to force myself not to plant new plants. Can I take my garden with me?

Pressure

It was hard breaking the news to my boss that I’m leaving. And a relief, in a way.  Briefly. Ironic that by telling my boss that I’m leaving at the end of my company’s fiscal year has put more pressure on me, not less. Self imposed pressure. The worst kind. Now the pressure is all around: pressure to prove to my boss and colleagues that I don’t have short timers disease, pressure to be ultra organized for our trip, pressure to see all my friends before we depart, pressure to leave a very nice home for our renters, pressure to get in really good shape, pressure to polish my Spanish skills, pressure to learn all the new features on cameras, watches, Kindles, blogging, etc, pressure to not let anyone down.  And pressure to enjoy the moment.  Where's the vent?