The Time of Our Lives

It’s been a little over 2 weeks since we’ve officially been on our Pan-American trip. At times our pace is sweet and slow like honey, and other times I feel like we’re contestants in the Great Race. I of course tend to prefer the more decadent, puttering moments of the adventure. I know, not shocking, but allow me to illustrate:

A week ago we parked along the cliff edge of highway 1 and sat outside with glasses of wine in hand and watched the sun sink away into the ocean. Over the course of an hour I’d say around 10 cars pulled into the ‘scenic loop’ where we were parked to sneak a peak of the sunset before zooming on down the road. Sipping and staring, scratching notes in my journal, shifting my weight from one hip to the other, I thought, I’m so #$%#% lucky. Here I am, right now really seeing and not just looking out. That’s how ridiculous the pace of life normally is…we race right through it strapped in our zoom-boxes until we see some sign that tells us to pullover (but leave the engine running) and ‘lookout’. I say, unbuckle the safety belt, stop the engine, and Get Out of the Box!

That being said, sometimes our pace is crazy. Tree thinks life itself is an extreme sport so we often race around trying to squeeze in as much of it as possible- hence 17 wineries in 2 days. This Great Race pace as I like to call it has made me come to a second broad realization about life that I will now press upon you: The course of life is determined by inches and seconds.

Now, this is obviously true for Tree and I who live in a van- one quick turn and we’re literally off in another direction. But what I’m getting at is more metaphoric. Everything is more intense living in a van so it’s really important for us to be kind and have clear communication- you know, the basics. We tend to do a great job of this and that’s why we’re having the time of our lives, but we’re human and sometimes we get cranky. Whenever this happens, we stop and take a look at what’s going on, and sure enough, it’s always something so seemingly minute but profoundly significant. For example, something like saying please and thank you can make all the difference when sharing tight spaces. But really, don’t those little things always make a difference? We just tend not to notice their absence as much when we live in a big house, and we only see each other for a couple hours after work each night. I’m telling you, I think what happens in relationships is that in one second someone takes a little turn in perspective and gets less grateful or less compassionate and then ZOOM, 2 years later you and your partner are standing miles apart listening to accusations and obscenities echo across the great divide. Inches and seconds folks, that’s how it happens.

Okay, enough from me. We’re currently in Fort Bragg visiting Brienna, my childhood friend, and her beautiful family, husband Shan and baby Maxine. We’re off to the market right now to buy the fixings for Cannelloni. Yummy! -STEVIE