“The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance. The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you, as perfect, as unspoiled, as if you had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your life. You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose.” ~ Arnold Bennett
A call one never wants to answer is the one informing of a loved one’s medical emergency. I received one of those calls two weeks ago when my sister called to say my dad had a stroke. While Jim stacked up the lumber and materials he had outside, I hurriedly readied the inside of our LCC to make the trip to Chino, CA. I’m not one who panics easily and I try not to assume the worst, but I will admit I was worried. My mom died of cancer just one year and eleven months ago and I was/am not ready to lose my dad. We arrived at the hospital about four hours later to find Dad sitting up in bed looking quite like his usual self. His speech center was initially affected but, by the time we got there, had already improved to nearly normal. The diagnosis was a light mini stroke and I am happy to report that the effects were very minor and he is doing great. And because we have no schedule to keep, we were able to park on his RV pad and spend some quality time visiting and doing a couple of small projects around the house and property. And observing for ourselves his improved condition. (Smile)
So, as I join for just a moment the millions — or perhaps billions — of those who inhabit planet Earth who are contemplating plans for another new year, I am reminded again that “tomorrow” is never guaranteed for any of us. I don’t have any profound advice that you haven’t heard before, just an encouragement to appreciate every moment and whatever that thing is you’re saving for someday…do it. Today.
AND if you’re contemplating living the RV lifestyle and think you need all the pieces of the puzzle to be perfectly in place before you make the plunge, let me leave you with another of my favorite quotes by one of my favorite men: “Go cheap; go small; go NOW!” ~ Jim Peterson
Wishing you and yours a very happy, healthy and personally enriching 2017!
LOVED this post! However, I’ve enjoyed all of them:)
Thank you so much, Cathy!
Wish I could come up with some profound thought at this moment, however it is not to be.
Just so glad to hear from you, both of you, this holiday season. Some say Christmas, yes it is Christmas for sure…and it is the holiday season, Happy New Year, and whatever holiday you prefer may it be plesant, and happy.
Annie, sorry to hear of your fathers stroke, on the other hand he is getting better, so thats good.
We take the good and the bad and move forward, there are so many things in life we have no control over…just don’t stop moving forward.
Love you both, thanks for the posts.
I’ve been thinking about you my good friend and wishing you and yours the best as well. While I LOVE this life and can’t think of anyplace I’d rather be, I *do* miss our conversations over lunch at work . . . and our ‘special’ lunches on payday. Thinking about those poor guys on the crew freezing their nubbins off taking down the big tree this time of year makes me doubly glad I’m retired! Annie’s Dad is doing wonderfully well so we’ll be headed back to The Slabs on Thu or Fri of this week — anxious to resume the dream 🙂 plus we’re both getting a bit of what RVers know as “hitch itch” — that vague obsession to be rolling down the road again. Love YOU Maine!
You two are such an inspiration! So glad we had the opportunity to meet you (and Cody & Inyo). Wishing you the BEST year of your lives together!!
Thank you very much, Susan! We enjoyed meeting you and Richard (and Queenie? — sorry if I got it wrong) as well. We still enjoy showing people the picture of you holding Inyo and the “family photo” you took for us. Please let us know if you venture south. Happy 2017!
I’m glad your Dad came out alright & I hope 2017 goes well for you too.
Life is short, if you have something you want to do now is the time.
Thank you, Rob! And of course you know we agree with you wholeheartedly!
Well put Cousin well put
Thanks Jim!!
Time is such a precious commodity. In the moment, it seems to stand still, while other times it passes by in the blink of an eye. Regret is our worst enemy. Taking advantage of the time we have should be the most important goal we have. I love the fact you are out seeing the world. There are so many that never take the opportunity.
As you certainly know, living on the road and traveling to all the wonderful places many folks miss out on is not an easy task at times, it can be even more draining both physically and emotionally on one’s self occasionally. The fact is, in my opinion it is all worth it.
The unexpected things in life will happen. No matter where you are or what you are doing, life happens. The quote in the beginning of your post says it perfectly.
I believe that the only instance in which time can be wasted is by not doing anything about it.
I hope your Father makes a full recovery, my thoughts are with you. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Keep up the good life.
Kevin
Thanks Kevin and I believe you know how true these quotes are — as much as anyone can. We remain challenged to see new places even though we may never range beyond the southwest in the winter months and the northwest in the summer months. It’s so easy (even with this highly mobile lifestyle) to kinda’ fall in a rut and just keep going to the same places year after year. We are committed to *NOT* letting that happen! 🙂
We’re headed to Chino, CA tomorrow to spend a few days with Annie’s Dad. He’s a GREAT guy (doing well) and our greatest ambassador for this lifestyle. He and his wife lived fulltime in their motorhome for six years. Then we’re forging into *new* territory — moving east and north through AZ to spend some time in Moab, UT to be back in the Boise area the end of May. It’s hard to believe that our 2nd winter is almost over. Thanks for your response and encouragement.
To the good life!