Who I am today is very different from who I was just a few years ago. Like many of us, I had always defined myself by my career and what I did for a living. For many years, I worked in public affairs for the federal government. I continued working throughout much of the pandemic and, in fact, was in Japan when my husband, Tom, and I decided to return to the U.S.
I was in a position to leave work and retire early. However, it didn’t take long before I became bored and restless. I traveled extensively while living in Japan, and after a trip to Peru in 2022, I realized there was so much of the world I still had not seen. After some Swedish Death Cleaning combined with existential reanalysis of this phase of life, the decision was made to become retired, nomadic travelers. In April 2023, we put the plan into action.
We used some of the money from the sale of our home to help my daughter purchase her first house. Fortunately, the home she and my son-in-law chose includes a small apartment above the garage. This slightly altered our plans, shifting us from an utterly nomadic lifestyle to one that gives us the added benefit of a place to regroup a couple of times a year between trips and spend time with two of our ten grandkids.
I am a runner who enjoys the adventure of exploring cities while traveling. After more than 40 years of running, I no longer participate in marathons, but I still run for pleasure and health. While traveling, I research and plan various running routes.
Inevitably, I will get lost, but thanks to my Garmin and some of the safety practices I have implemented, I can find my way around. Some cities I have visited were too dangerous (Cairo) or smoggy (New Delhi) to run in. However, many others have filled my soul and brought me great joy.
Spirituality, for me, is not religion. I experience the presence of my Higher Power during my runs and travels. I embrace other cultures’ interpretations of spirituality. I feel awe at the sights I see and the places I visit. I cried when I first saw Stonehenge. That feeling, in the presence of something so majestic, represents the powerful spirit of connectedness that brings me so much joy and happiness. I often find that in my travels. It serves as the driving force in this stage of my life.
My goal is to share my thoughts and experiences in my travel journal blog, if only to leave a legacy for my kids and grandchildren. If I inspire someone to change their life, then all the better.