It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Between driving to and from SC, flying to Toronto and back, and starting my trek to TX, I’ve seen and done a lot in a short amount of time, with virtually NO break between.
By no means am I complaining, as I’ve had a great time. Even with the insane weather delays on my flight into Toronto, I’ve met so many people I wouldn’t have otherwise. The short-lived moments spent with strangers can sometimes be all I need to maintain a positive outlook on the world around me.
The older I get, the less inclined I’ve felt to branch out and interact with people, particularly people I have no relationship with. Living in a travel trailer and towing my home behind me wherever I go has brought me out of that comfortable bubble and introduced me to a world I had only heard about.
Don’t misunderstand me, I’m still happy to spend most of my time alone, but I don’t waste opportunities to chat away an hour or more with people who are traveling via RV. Hearing about other people’s adventures and mishaps brings another level of investment for my own that I would never have guessed possible.
In some strange way, these interactions are helping keep my inner cynic at bay and helping me realize that there are more people I can relate to than not. It’s great to have conversations with people I know I will never see again and that don’t want or expect anything from me. I feel like it makes the ability to have a genuine experience together far more possible.
As much as I’ve lamented about the negative side of my journey thus far, I will say the people I’ve met have helped keep the flame of interest in continuing the adventure I set out on burning. That’s worth far more than nearly anything I can imagine - and it’s absolutely one of the main reasons I wanted to spend a year living in an RV to begin with.
If you’re like me and new to this adventure, or you’re just considering making the leap into a trip of your own, I think it’s a beneficial idea to consider the impact of crossing paths with people having similar experiences and how it can add to your own. Sure, there is the independence of being able to go where you want on your own time schedule, there’s the experience of living far more simply than you might currently, and the excitement of the unknown, but meeting and talking to others who are in various states of expertise in this lifestyle can be, in my opinion, invaluable.
I left NC this morning, landed in Knoxville, TN this afternoon and spent the better part of the past 3 hours having interesting and insightful conversations with a number of other RVers - retirees on extended vacations to full-timers to weekend enthusiasts - and I feel as though I’ve discovered a new tier in human interaction that I didn’t know existed. There’s a connection that isn’t overwhelming or weighty, but enjoyable and spontaneous that’s attractive. While I might not be interested in adding friendships to the ones I’ve nurtured over the years, these moments in time are incredibly wonderful to have. Like icing on the cake of human interaction. And I get to determine just how much or how little I want to indulge in.
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