Our Pilgrimage

So, I was talking with my friend Jon this evening. He and I met here in cyberspace through each other's blogs. He asked how the trip was going and what it was all about. And I thought during the conversation that I might not have explained on my blog why we are doing what we are doing... that is, what this trip is for us...

I have realized that one of the limitations of a blog is that it can never sum up a life, a whole person's thoughts or intentions or ideas or whatnot. It is never exhaustive... at least mine never is.

So a little catch up just in case you've been in the dark as well...

A little over a month ago, my wife and I packed our stuff into storage, moved out of our apartment in Oceanside, and left Southern California. Where were we going? Didn't really know. Who were we going to see? Had hoped to see certain people scattered across the US.

We call it our pilgrimage. A sort of spiritual endeavor that isn't as much about the end destination as it is about the journey...the experience...the ride. Being blown by the wind.

And what a ride it has been thus far. We're into our 3rd month of the trip. Wow. The stories we carry with us. The folks we have met along the way. The lives we have been inspired by. The generosity that has been shown to us. The friendships we have forged.

Where does it all lead? No idea. Hopefully closer to living it right. But geographically? No idea. We think we'll keep traveling for at least several more months, but who knows where from there.

In the end, our hope was to get a fuller perspective of what was going on in our world (particularly domestically this time around). To see what others see. To attempt to live as others live. To participate and partake.

Of course, one of the challenges along the way is that we are working along the way. That is, we're not on an extended vacation as it were. We're still doing SharpSeven Design stuff and I am of course playing my music along the way.

Sustainability has been a tricky thing, as we are trying to take in so much. To drink in this experience. To live fully in the communities we are sharing in. But there are times when the trip has left us tired and in need of retreat. Man, I sometimes wonder if I'm some closet introvert posing as an extrovert. So doing this sustainably has been an interesting experiment in boundaries and limits.

A spiritual pilgrimage. A chance to see friends and others whose lives have inspired us. A chance to share our art along the way. A chance to further this hope we have of a different kind of world. Yah, that's what this trip's about.