5 August 2021 – My original plan was to travel constantly through the beginning of November, but I had to take a break because I needed to let my ribs heal for a few weeks. But I’m not done yet. I have more adventures to come. Many places still left to visit – like Maine, a place I have always wanted to visit. There are many things I still want to do – ziplining over a beautiful place and eating more wonderful food. There are probably even things I haven’t heard of yet that will be the perfect place or perfect thing. I never want to stop exploring, and I definitely don’t want to stop doing new things—more fun to come.

I’m also not done living yet. Even though I am still very aware that in five months, I will be fifty years old, I still feel like I have so much living to do. It wasn’t very long ago that I was convinced that I had lived my best years. We grow up with these preconceived notions of what life will look like, but it changes. Until I was nineteen years old, I saw myself graduating college and working as a social worker. I would eventually open a private orphanage where every child would feel like they were the most important person in the world and be loved like crazy. I had no plans to ever marry or have children of my own. My goal was just to take care of my community.

After I realized that I was really good at math and computer science, and I fell in love, my idea of my future changed. I would get married and have children, and I would not just find a job, but I would be the best at it. My new goal was to just take care of my family in the best way possible. After twenty-five years of living that life, it was over. I thought that meant my life was over, and there was nothing in the future except old age and death. Why did I think that? When I was nineteen, I allowed all of my dreams to change on a dime. How could I be twice as old and many times as wise and not think my dreams could change?

Fortunately, I was in a position where I could travel and separate myself from my old dreams and find new ones. It’s been quite an interesting personal journey. I have discovered new things about myself and my world. I’ve learned many things about what I like and what I don’t like. I’ve become more aware of things that bring me joy and the things that do nothing but drain my energy. I don’t know what my next dream looks like, but I know it will be fabulous because I better understand what I will look like. I’m Not Done Yet