I’ve been driving ahead pretty steadily for a while now, but every now and then it’s good to stop and look back at how far I’ve come.  I mean that not just in terms of counting miles, but also the personal journey this has been for me.  When I first came back to the US, I was feeling dissatisfied with life and my place in it, I was frustrated, anxious, and feeling trapped.  I had tried making small changes in my life, but they weren’t enough, a big change was needed.  So I figuratively tore down just about every wall in my life that was making me feel confined, and set out to explore.  It’s been a hoot.

On the first of April (no fooling), in northeastern New Mexico, I passed the 35,000 mile (56,327 km) mark on my journey.  Coincidentally, it had also been almost exactly nine months since I set out, making this a double milestone.  I stopped and took the picture below at that point.  There’s not a lot in northeastern New Mexico.

I drove on through western Oklahoma and into Kansas, and realized that a lot of this region of the US is pretty empty, just grasslands, wind turbines, and a few bored cows.  But it seems a nice metaphor for my life a the moment.  I’ve made myself into a blank slate.  The dissatisfaction and frustration I was feeling are almost completely gone.  I have job prospects, although I haven’t made any final decisions yet, and I have rough plans, but I’ve been careful not too get too attached to any of them.  I’ve let go of a lot of the past, keeping the memories, both good and bad, but not letting myself be too influenced by them.  Soon it will be time to start painting on my blank canvas, and I’m looking forward to seeing what I can create.

Perhaps the most significant thing that I’ve learned on this odyssey is patience.  This will surprise those who know me well, because it’s never been my strong point!  And who knows how long it will last, really?  But for now, I’ve learned to give things time.  I’ve learned to give people space.  And I’ve learned to give myself a break.  Although I’m not yet making decisions about my future life, I feel prepared to make them.  Time and distance have given me perspective.

But enough of the serious stuff!  The road awaits, and I still have the desire to explore…. I wonder what’s around the next bend, in the road and in life?