What do you do when life gets interrupted? You roll with it. Today we were getting ready to leave my mother's home in Pennsylvania starting on toward all things North but ran into a
snag.
The motor on the slide room decided to give up the ghost. Living in a camper or motor home, just like in a house, there is always something to be done. While visiting with the family and being stationary the every-day-hero found a leak in the lock of the slide and replaced it. That went well but while working on adjusting things the motor decided that it had worked long enough. Of course it did this on the very day we were ready to roll on down the road. Fortunately Bud's Electric in Clearfield Pennsylvania had exactly what we needed so we got a replacement and will make adjustments as we aim for departure, round-two, tomorrow.
Almost everyday someone reminds me that I am living their dream but selling everything and stepping into a new life still comes with its own challenges. It is a new way of life, but it still requires work, care, cleaning, and the usual daily responsibilities. It is not, by any stretch of the imagination a full time vacation.
No matter where you are, or what you are doing you will always be you, and you can't out run that. If you are struggling with issues, doubts, fears, or other real life troubles, no matter where you go they go with you. Still sometimes change brings with it the catalyst to healing, growing, and becoming some thing more. This journey, even with its mistakes, hardships, and unexpected interruptions, has been an experience that has pushed me and opened my eyes to things I had forgotten. Seeing the wider world, the amazing beauty and diversity of our country and the humble souls of the everyday man and woman everywhere has been a wonder.
So why am I reflecting on this inconvenient interruption to our travel plans today? Because, no matter where you are or what you are doing there will be unexpected occurrences that get in the way but that's no reason not to try, as a matter of fact, sometimes they are the reason we should try.
When I first started writing my life was very different. I had a full time job in a foreign country, and didn't have a clue what I was doing. Some days I still don't. Still I was willing to try something that I was passionate about and didn't let fear stop me. I've hit plenty of bumps in the indie author road but I've learned more than I could imagine and gained more than I've lost.
The Indie Author world is not for the feint of heart and is a ton of work. As I've mentioned to many before the great thing about being and Indie author is that you are in total control, but the bad part is that you are in total control. You have to do everything, learn everything, and be responsible for everything.
Just like the RV life sometimes writing gets interrupted. Life, circumstances, or simply being in a different place slow you down. I'm learning that when this happens to just take a deep breath, find the right parts I need to put things back together and try again tomorrow. At least that's what we'll do. Oh, and when life happens I try to look up and see what I can see. Sometimes the interruptions are just what you need to find that tiny blessing that stays with you for good. For me it is my mother's Dogwood tree preparing to burst into bloom. My sisters and I bought it for her many years ago but I have never seen it in bloom. But now, with only one added day I have.
I hope you'll all follow me and my every-day-hero as we start our next adventure and head toward Alaska. As it stands we plan on heading to Michigan first then moving onward from there. See you on the road.