Reflections (and some pictures) from the road
2023 didn't go as planned, but who needs plans?
This year has been another doozy. I’ve been all over the map, emotionally and physically. I’ve been super frustrated with some things in my advocacy work (for lack of a better word - what do I even do?), and super stoked with other things (thankfully, truly a lot of other things!). I’ve been happy, sad, scared, tired, accepting, not accepting, worried, joyful, stressed, rested, hopeful, loved, loving, demoralized, angry, excited…up, down, and all around.
Road tripping
In October I went on a road trip with John and Coco and was reminded I don’t need a whole lot. I didn’t think there could be many places in the US without cell service, but the western US is expansive and beautiful and rugged and largely still real life and offline (at least with Verizon).
I try to disconnect from devices on the regular but I still spend way too much time on my phone. When there is nothing on your phone because you’re not connected to the internet, and couldn’t be even if you wanted to be, it’s incredibly freeing. No emails to check, no Instagram to scroll, no text messages to respond to, no news to (d)read. I read or watched nature or walked or sat with my thoughts. And it was comfortable. I wasn’t all angsty and twitchy to get cell service, which I might have expected if I knew we wouldn’t have it!
We drove through Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and almost the whole damn length of California, down to San Diego. It was stunning. Awesome, in the truest sense of the word. We fell asleep to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean on the Lost Coast, slept under towering redwoods, hiked in a rain forest, chased waterfalls, drank wine in Sonoma, watched climbers on El Capitan, and woke up to snow on a volcano. We explored State and National Parks, stayed at some lovely County campsites, and boondocked with endless views of forests, deserts, beaches, mountains, and a couple parking lots.
It was magic.
We also ate at a ridiculous number of food trucks visiting friends in Bend Oregon (seriously, Bend, your food truck game is on point), drank delicious craft beers at quite a few breweries with friends in Boise, and met up with our Colorado neighbors in San Diego to have drinks with my aunt and uncle. Oh, and I co-emceed the Oregon Pain Summit at a winery!
I loved being on the road with John and Coco. Just our little family, having a grand adventure, living in the bed of our Chevy pickup truck.
Family matters
While we were boondocking in the middle of the desert in Nevada, where we surprisingly had cell service, I got a call that my dad was in the hospital. He thought he was going to die. He was telling me all the practical things one needs to know when their parent dies, like house payments and bank stuff and to be sure his friends got any of his stuff they wanted.
I flew out of Las Vegas. We had to backtrack a bit, as we’d been on our way to Zion, and found myself back in Michigan for the second time in five weeks because I thought an immediate family member was dead or dying.
Deep breaths.
That plane ride offered even more time to reflect and take stock of what matters.
Thankfully dad pulled through. I hadn’t seen my dad in many years, and I’m glad he’s sticking around for a bit. He was in the hospital for a week, and we don’t have a lot of answers (a common refrain, I’ve come to find. I wish we could just be more honest and say we don’t know a whole lot about a whole lot of things when it comes to human health. Let’s embrace the uncertainty and just do the best we can with what we do know!), but he’s doing good and that’s good.
I’ve learned a lot about myself, and about life and living, from road trips. I’ve also learned a lot from health scares and health challenges, whether they were mine or a loved one’s. This year I’ve had plenty of opportunities for learning. For reflection. It’s not all a coherent story yet, but maybe it’ll come together in the new year.
Coco and I drove back to Michigan this month - my third time here in three months! I’ve spent more time in my home state this year than in any year since I left (way back at the end of the 20th century)! - because one of the reminders from the road this year is that our time here is finite. We are adaptable and resilient beings, and we are also vulnerable and mortal and imperfect.
Gratitude
As this year comes to a close, I am grateful. I know this year has been challenging for many of you. I hope this holiday season you are at peace, and that your able to engage with people and experiences that fill your heart and feed your soul.
Thank you all so much for being here. I didn’t write here as much this year as I planned, as life had other plans. Thanks for understanding and for your continued support, it means the world to me.
Back to power, justice, knowledge, trust, and all sorts of good stuff in the new year!
Much love - Jo
Have your own reflections you’d like to share? Please do! Leave a comment below or send me an email.
For more reflections from previous road trips, check out the posts below (from over 7 years ago!). It was on a road trip I first realized I was better, even if I wasn’t pain free.
As always I love reading your writings.
That sounds close to my perfect holiday. Nature is a huge part of what matters to me. I sometimes think that a happy life is spent mostly distracting oneself with wholesome activities and people, the positive effects of which compound over time. Modern life/society often trys to sell us a quick way to feel better, look better, just be better when actually the slow burn of looking after your foundations and boundaries consistently and not comparing yourself to others goes a long way.
Looking forward to reading more from you next year.
Much love
Steven