Finding Peace in Reality

"Gas prices will be $10/gallon by Summer." "The housing market will never recover." "We will be rationing water for years. " "They will take all our guns." "There will be no Social Security." "The plane will never be found."

These sentiments and many more like them were all expressed in the last few weeks. Some by media, others by individuals. Clearly we are facing a gloomy future just around the corner. No point making any plans other than finding a sturdy refrigerator box to live in down by the riverbed - not by a river as there won't be water left in any of them. One would have to be nuts to plan a life that includes extensive travel, selling a house, having enough income without employment, staying in remote areas with wild critters, or in general enjoying a peaceful life.

I don't watch the news - ever. I don't read a newspaper or subscribe to a news feed. Still, I get the message: we're doomed. I do go to the grocery store and other public places. I'm on Facebook. I read blogs. Opinions are everywhere. Most of these opinions have a common theme: we're doomed.

Those who know me have heard me quote my mother on numerous occasions: "The key to success in everything is 'pay attention'". This mantra has served me well in all areas of my life and I plan to keep doing it. So when bombarded with these sour predictions for our future I can't just put my head in the dirt (the worms have opinions about the future of the soil - you're not getting away from it down there). I also don't spend hours researching economics or climate change or global politics. Maybe someday, not today. So what do I "pay attention" to when it comes to our future plans?

Reality. Today. Right now. We are currently living what was yesterday's future.  I know, profound.  You can quote me.  But really, it is the answer that works for me. Every one of the quotes above was expressed recently. Every one of them was also expressed several years ago. Every one of them. About the future. Which is now today. And none of them are true today. (There have been other planes.)

Could our future be doomed? Sure. Some dire predictions have come to fruition. They did so without me putting my life on hold. It's not like these things could never happen and some of them certainly seem plausible. Looking at the reservoirs in California makes rationing seem imminent, although a summer of record rainfall is just as likely.

A big part of paying attention is seeing where you can impact outcome and where it is out of your control. If I can impact outcome then I believe it is my responsibility to do so. I turn off the water when I brush my teeth and I vote. There are a few other things in between. If it is out of my control then I put it aside, move on, let it go. Some things require repeating that process to be successful :-).

Making a major change in our lives is exciting and challenging. The fulltime RV life is a complete unknown to us. We plan, we dream, we research, we make lists. We have no clue.

When will this be the best choice for us?  Today. What is that based on?  Reality.