I have spent the last week hacking deep within my chest, been to the dr. twice, and taken more meds than I have ever taken in my life. Today I was having a very emotional day and coming to work was the last thing I wanted to do with myself. I more wanted a ride in my old convertible out to the beach with my book, sweat pants and blanket for a day of reflection and solitude..instead I got a cold walk to work in the snow. Tina, (above – who is now about 6 years older than this picture) at the end of class, came up and brought me two homemade chocolate hearts. She said she made them for me. These kids NEVER give us anything more than stickers. I was so emotional that my eyes filled up and I hugged the heck out of her. She didn’t hug back, just stood their weird, so I hugged her again. Then, at the end of the day, as I was sitting at my desk recapping my day, Lina, (below, who has a great smile) walked up to me and placed a metal thermos on my desk. She said, teacher, for your throat. She made Ouija tea for me and had it in her backpack all day at academy. Ouija (Ooojah) is made from sliced lemons douced in sugar and sitting for weeks in a jar until it is almost candied. Then, you add it to hot water and let it sit…then pull the lemon rhinds out. Once again, my eyes filled up and I was so touched that she thought of me. Thank you guys.
Intentionally and incrementally. Most families who live this way did not leap from conventional to adventurous overnight. They built remote work capacity, paid down debt, tested longer trips, and had honest conversations about what they want from their lives.
Different for every family. For some it is long-term travel. For others it is weekend adventures close to home. What connects them is intentionality about how time is spent and a preference for experiences over accumulation.
By finding stability within the adventure rather than treating them as opposites. Routines, rituals, and family rhythms travel with you. Kids need consistency in relationships more than consistency in geography.
That people are fundamentally similar across cultures. That comfort zone is a smaller circle than it feels from inside. That the things worth having in life require effort and discomfort. And that time together doing hard interesting things is the most reliable source of family closeness.
By getting clear on why you made the choices you made and returning to that clarity when outside noise gets loud. Most families living unconventionally describe an initial period of explaining themselves that gradually gives way to just living the life.
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