And the journey begins...

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” (Mark Twain)

These words have been my mantra for my entire life, and Monday I embark on a journey that will (I hope) take me to exotic ports and experiences. I’m taking a tremendous risk as I pack my furniture into a storage room and sift through my clothes and only take what will fit into a duffle bag. Of course my trusty guitar is coming along, too... and my car. But other than that... I’m on my own.

This past week has been quite overwhelming. In less than 48 hours, my apartment went from well-lived-in to empty. My furniture, pots, pans, dish towels, and beaded curtain are all packed neatly in storage, and I’ve donated to charity over ten huge bags full of clothes. I’ve longed for the gypsy lifestyle, and now I have it. As I sit here in this, my childhood bedroom, I wonder when I’ll see these walls again. I wonder if I am making the right choice to move to another state and pursue a completely different career path. I wonder when I’ll return to the comfort of home... and I wonder if I’ll somehow find what I’m looking for.

I’m not nervous, I’m not anxious... well, I admit, maybe a little... But, more than anything, I am excited! This next chapter of my life is going to be one of adventure and unexpected surprises, and in the immortal words of Dr. Seuss, “You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. You know what you know. You’re the guy who’ll decide what direction to go.”

So may my bowlines fly freely in the warm trade winds of change, and may I keep my eyes to the horizon and never look back to the harbor.