I started this blog a little more than a year ago. I knew nothing about blogging, networking, or what there would be involved with creating and up keeping such an endeavor. All I knew was, I felt the calling to alter my direction and start a blog. The ride has been mixed with long nights questioning why I do this and the smile of gratification that comes from a heartfelt comment of a reader.
Learning From the Past
When I go back and read About Augie, I could easily get frustrated. There have not been any long and wild trips across the country exploring the cultures of South America, week long treks through the Rockies or 500 mile raft trips down an Alaska river. There has been life.
I continue to struggle with making amends with my past. I continue to struggle to get my feet firmly planted under my shoulders and stand strong against the winds of daily life.
Living in Today
Recently I created a Theodore Roosevelt quote poster “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” The importance of the photograph can be easily lost on all except the most argent Roosevelt fan. The cabin in the photograph is the Maltese Cross Cabin. It was used by Roosevelt from 1883-1884 after his wife and mother died only hours apart in 1884. It was his place of gathering strength to carry on.
Those simple words have become a vital strength of support for me. Life does not always go down the road we intend or think possible. Somehow I have found myself living in a city and working behind a desk. Two of the very things I thought I would never do. But I strive to do what I can where I’m at with what I got. Instead of complaining about not being able to make it out in the woods for a few weeks, I have embraced living in the interesting historic town of Old Town Alexandria and living a simple subway ride from the most power place in the world, downtown Washington DC.
The simple studio apartment may not look like much, the weekends back home sharing a house with my mother may seem uncool for a 47 year old single man, but I’m making the most of what I do have and have learned not to dwell on those things and travels I don’t have. Well, most of the time.
Planning for Tomorrow
The super small apartment has taught me to keep life and possessions simple; learning the difference between needs and wants. The weekends with my mother have allowed me to make a reconnection with one of the most important influences in my life.
If I have learned anything over the last year, it would be to learn from the past, live in today, and plan for tomorrow. And to that end, I am learning to enjoy those things around me while saving funds and making plans for a long trip to the American southwest in 2015. If being able to spend a month or more exploring and wandering around the desert and mountains means I have to spend a few weekends local, exploring Washington DC, I can live with that.
