“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape.” – Seth Godin
This quote from Seth is a wake up call. A co-worker was a penny pincher as her and her husband had a goal of when they retired they were going to have a cabin by the lake so he could fish and she could relax. About two months after she retired, she found out she had brain cancer and did not live another two months. She did not get to live in her cabin by the lake. Lila was a wonderful lady and her husband worked just as hard as she did to save. I believe Lila would have been happy that her husband was happy. Living in the future is not always the best plan.
There are stages to life and each stage has its magic and then we transition to the next stage. Raising children is a big stage in life and one that should be enjoyed and taken seriously. There is no joy like watching your children leave home on their own wings and soar. All of the hard work and tears of raising children is worth it when we see our children make good decisions. After the children start their lives, what is next for you?
Some decide the next stage of life is to see the country, make a good living, and enjoy waking up in a different city every day. Truck driving is the perfect fit for those that have a little gypsy blood and are not yet ready to retire to the easy chair. Seeing the country from behind a steering wheel is not a good fit for all but for those that fit the lifestyle it is often the perfect fit while heading into retirement and still having to be a wage earner.
Many do not like the word lifestyle when used in the same sentence as truck driver, but for those of that stay on the road for extended periods it is a lifestyle. This lifestyle is having friends who we see all over the country and have dinner with the same as those do that go home every night. We though do not spend the weekend mowing the grass and dreading Mondays. Those that we meet out here that have the same lifestyle as us take each day as it comes and enjoy the moments when all of the stars align and we get to spend time with each other.
Is this lifestyle all fun and games? No! Is it stressful at times? Yes! It is what you make it. We do miss out on some events, but on the other hand we get to see extended family more than we would have if we had our 9 to 5 jobs. The problem is usually we never know when we are going to visit family and they have to be ok with us showing up on short notice, and often bringing our dirty clothes with us.
Learning to balance home time with making money and being comfortable in both situations is the goal. Not saying we do not like vacations, but usually what we dream about is staying at home without a "honey-do" list, a bathroom with running water, not wearing shower shoes, and watching it snow knowing we do not have to go anywhere.
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| Easter with Brandy using our lift gate to tail gate.... Great memories |