Origins

What started as plans for just another sensible, but ridiculously harried, two week vacation to a foreign land, grew. I looked at a map of Argentina spanning the depths of the Southern Hemisphere from the rainforest to Antarctic seas and I knew I’d need a month. I tried the thought out, took it for a ride, felt the goosebumps bubble up, sensed the wildness in my eyes, and knew that it had to be two months, maybe more.

This will be my first extended trip. I can’t think of any practical reasons why, but this decision is about as right as any I’ve made in my life. Its a risk. I’m burning the candle at both ends. I’ll be spending a chunk of money while earning none. I’ll be dumping a stable job and a steady paycheck and wiping the slate clean. But I felt the vibrations in the air, turned out the lights, stopped the music, cleared my mind and listened, and had no doubt that this was right.

I’m six months out, but sense its time to start building this thing. I’m gathering resources, budgeting, nicking away at hard rock, dreaming of penguins and gauchos in pampas, googling ticket prices and laying the foundation for something much bigger than a trip to Argentina. I’m setting out on the very first leg of what I was meant to be. I’ve flirted with it all my life, stared at it from afar, came closer dipped my toes in it, then rushed back to what was safe, but miserably banal. But I’m ready now. That niggling feeling in the back of my head months ago is coming into fruition, starting to resemble something palpable and I’m, finally, brave enough to follow. Written 4/3/06