Taking the giant leap

The last time I left home for more than two weeks was Global, an experience that changed my life and set me on my travel journey. At that time I was a student with no real responsibilities. I had medical insurance through my parents, my mail was delivered to their house, and they were able to pay my credit card bills from my checking account. Since then I have traveled with family and friends, with Intrepid and independently… but never for more than two weeks.

Now my bags are packed and I am ready to go. While I pride myself on packing light (my record = 6 bottles of wine and a week’s worth of work clothes in a carry-on pre 9/11), this time I am stumped. How does one travel for two months with a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, etc. in one backpack??? Despite removing flip flops, leggings, a long-sleeve shirt and some TP rolls, my main pack is still filled to the gills.

I am by turns terrified, excited, anxious and ready.

  • I worry that something will go wrong with all of my financial arrangements and my credit rating will tank. All credit cards are on auto-pay and I think (hope?) all of the other bills are set up correctly. What if my deposits do not come through as expected?
  • I worry that I will be allergic to the campfire smoke
  • I worry that I will not be able to sleep in a tent and/or that I will keep my tent-mate awake
  • I dream of seeing a silverback
  • I dream of feeling the peace that I find at the ocean
  • I hope to find some clarity regarding my vocation

“Merry Christmas to my saints and guardian angels

Who protect me as I roam

All the faces and the places that were home.”

~ Jimmy Buffet

Giving thanks

I had much to be thankful for in 2017. Family, friends, home, job…

Cousin Steve was still with us at Thanksgiving, allowing us to celebrate one last Thanksgiving with all of the cousins together. We lost him in early December and at his memorial service the pastor talked about Steve having a vocation – architecture. His vocation led him to be the first person to work on a building on the National Register of Historical Places following the work completed by the original architect and his son. Steve designed a handicapped accessible restroom. Not the most significant project in the world, but a significant impact on the community.

This led me to thinking about my life. Do I have a vocation? Do I feel passionate about what I do? Does my work have an impact, even if that impact was only on a congregation and perhaps on others in the architectural community?

It’s time to take that leap and find my vocation in life.

I’m going to take a sabbatical to follow my dreams.