Saying good bye. That’s what I’ll be doing over the next 3 weeks. Not that I won’t be coming back this way regularly, because I will, but with so many life changes, I just don’t know when I’ll see who. So for now, there will be some visits and some parties that will be all about ‘good bye.’
Saying ‘good bye’ is hard. Saying ‘oh but I’ll be back this way’ makes it not quite as painful.
And then, there is saying good bye to a way of life, to the place that has been my home for many years, to the place I work, to our regular dog walks, familiar grocery stores…all of it.
So it seems that saying good bye is all about letting go, actually. And letting go is all about moving on, because if it isn’t, one ends up with emptiness.
So the process is, saying good bye, letting go, and moving on to say hello to new adventures.
As we get oldER, all those we have known, the places we have been, and the adventures we have had, become a part of us. It’s life, and hopefully it offers us depth, wisdom, and experience to continue on in life with grace and peace and joy.
These thoughts go hand in hand with what I’ve felt about aging for a long time, and it’s this:
I’m not at this point, just 65 years old…no…I am at this point all the ages I have ever been. I’m still the little girl, 5 years old, who loved to play in the sand pile and was scared to go to kindergarten. I’m still 10, roaming the fields and forests near my home by the lake with my dog at 6am, and watching the sun rise. I’m still 16, loving the Rolling Stones, and sitting in the 5th row at Cobo Arena in Detroit, at their concert for the first time, with my friends Marie and Diane. I’m still 21, realizing that marriage wasn’t all it was cracked up to be….and on and on….every year, every age, becoming who I am now….becoming me. A process.
So I totally understand as I set off (three weeks from today!!) on this new life experience, that
it’s not the destination that is so important, it’s the journey.
The Journey. The process. Saying hello to each day, waking up and being thankful to be here, where ever ‘here’ is, and making the best of the day….making it count in some special way. Seeing and appreciating the beauty and the blessings that surround us. Life is the journey.
Yay Life! I love you!
Wandering Spirit 
Wishing you the very best that your journey will bring you? Be safe!
Thank you Jackie! Yes, safety will be a HIGH priority!
Wonderfully said. It’s good to be here, it’s good to be anywhere. 💖
Amen to that (and thanks to KR for those immortal words!).
Mo, didn’t see your reply when I replied about Keith. 🙂 If there is a way to be confused about this blog, I find it! But I sure am enjoying writing it.
Exactly….as spoken by the one and only Keith Richards! 🙂
Oh, yes, the letting-go process can be at the same time painful and liberating. Each farewell transition has its own character to it: people, things, places, habits. It is wonderful to see you looking forward to the new adventures opening up for you as a result of your willingness to engage and embrace this transition. Good for you!
I am really enjoying your blog updates. Thank you for sharing your process with us! 🙂
Just joined your blog Michael! I’ll be enjoying following your adventures as well! Hope to meet up somewhere, someday!
Micky
So well said!! Capture every moment Micky!
Patty
>
Yup. Be. Here. Now. 🙂
Hi Wandering Spirit,
I know exactly what you are going through. I fulltimed solo for 9 years in my 1996 Roadtrek 190 (now I part time) and they were some of the best years of my life. As soon as you hit the road with the precious memories you spoke of safely tucked way you will start gaining so many more precious memories.
I never missed a “thing” I left behind and let go of. I did miss people and places but thats the great thing about living so flexibly, you can always go and see them again.
Also you are so lucky that you are retired, I was 50 when I started so I had to workamp most of the year and volunteer the rest of the year. You will be free to go and do what you choose. When you feel the need to “belong” somewhere go find one of the animal sanctuaries or federal land to do your volunteering, you will be so appreciated.
Just keep following your heart and your path will just open up before you. I am looking forward to hearing about all your adventures, especially the spiritual ones.
Love and Light,
Kathi
Hi Kathi,
Welcome! So glad you are here and that’s really fantastic that you were full time solo for 9 years. Wow, what experiences you must have had….and still be having. It’s good to know that you didn’t miss the ‘things’. I really do feel that will be true for me too, since at this point I don’t even remember most of the things I’ve let go of, and I haven’t even left yet. Or maybe that’s just a bad memory….either way, it seems to be serving well. 🙂
Thank you for the advice to follow my heart. Yes…that’s what I’d like to do…. follow my heart and my Wandering Spirit. It’s a whole lot about Spirit.
And in about 3 months we’ll say HELLO in person. It will be fun. As you said, you are the composite of all your experiences so far. Continue to look forward to the ones to come. Life never stands still. If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward and that’s usually a place you don’t want to be no matter how fun it was “back in the day” when you were there before.
So looking forward to meeting you at the Casita Rally, Reine! That should be a really fun time. 🙂
Good luck Micky! This was really well written and as you know, I can relate. Look forward and not behind, you’re opening yourself up to lots of great adventures. Who wants a stagnant life doing the same things forever? Not me, certainly not you! Maybe I can meet you on the road somewhere😊
Yes remember that you’re not leaving forever when you go to those “goodbye parties”. They should be called something else, Hasta luego parties, see you later😊
I like that….’see you later’ parties. 🙂
Deb, you are a role model for courage to create change! What amazing things you have done with your life, painting it into an exciting adventure, like the artist you are.
You go girl!, and thank you for the encouragement here. Yes, I do hope we can meet up on the road sometime!
CONGRATULATIONS…the countdown to retirement is now just your FINGERS!
Yes! You are keeping track with me. 🙂 And as I type, in less than an hour it will be into the single digits! Oh my gosh!!
I’ll miss you …. You are amazing and brave… But we only live once … Looking forward to hearing all about your travels… Now go explore this wonderful place you call home…
Take care and safe travels…… Jenni
Thanks for your good wishes Jenni, and glad that you will be exploring right along with me. 🙂
Should be close or time for your retirement. Hope you don’t get a watch as a so-long gift…you won’t need it. You must be so excited. I can’t tell you how happy I am for you and your fur-babies. I know you’ll have a wonderful new life full of exciting adventures. We’re anticipating new experiences traveling with you and your crew.
Cat Lady
Thanks for your encouraging good wishes Cat Lady. Yes, you are right, my last day of work is Thursday, July 31, so 3 days until retirement. I’m ‘off’ today, so only 2 days of work. I’ve got all kinds of emotions going on in here….relief, anxiety, joy, fear, excitement, worry, anticipation, happy, sad….you name it! 🙂 Mixed emotions, more positive than negative though. I’m feeling like this is a transition stage, and I’m looking forward to it being behind me. As a labor and delivery nurse, my experience is that transition is the most difficult time. 🙂 Life in Wandering Spirit starts officially on August 10!
HI Micky. You wrote this 2 years ago and so who knows if you respond to comments on old blog posts. I just discovered you through that other wonderful solo traveler, RVSue. You thoughts about the journey and being all the ages we ever were rang so true to me. It gave me a lot of joy and peace to read someone’s words that resonate with me. I’m still 10-15 months out from starting the RV portion of my journey and people like you and Sue make me so happy I’ve chosen this future for myself. There is this whispering going on that says, “Here you will find peach and joy…come on in.”
Hi there! I get an email if someone comments, so as long as I see the email, I will answer the comment.
10-15 months will fly by before you know it, and time seems to go by faster than ever since I’ve been on the road, too.
So glad you found me and enjoy this blog. RVSue gave me a lot of motivation too. I wanted to meet her but figured I never would. Then we met completely by accident in March! Made me very happy!
I hope you and I meet someday. 😀