Die Like You Lived

By

I don’t know how all of this became possible.

I was a troubled youth, I think that’s the term. Child of divorce, whatever. Ran away from home at 16, whatever. I think “poor by choices” could apply.

Then I went to college (art school), had a kid, got married, bought a house, 9 to 5’d it, got divorced from all the pressure. I got stuck. Stuck in shitty ass hard times.

Then things changed. I was always who I am, a default I guess. But as life turned its river course, somehow I grabbed a rope instead of sinking. It’s when you get into the rapids that you realize what you’re made of. When the going gets tough, the tough get made.

I meet folks on the road, some think that it’s a fortunate situation which leads one to a life like I have. Others think that not everyone can do it. I’m not saying everyone’s cut out for my particular lifestyle, but shit, anyone can do anything. There are Olympian runners without feet these days. Literally.

That’s all a bit cliche and easy for me to say looking back, but I believe it. If you think achieving your dreams is hard, well how hard is your life anyway? Chances are you’re busting your ass for something not far off from minimum wage. You maybe have kids or a good job, a house or some debt you find encumbering.

That won’t go away. Sure, paying off and staying out of debt is the way to go, but there’s always some big expense around the corner. What does it matter if you’re paying it off in your hometown or anywhere you want to be?

I’m a web designer. It pays well. I’m self-taught. I’ve had some really great breaks. And a few really long years in the making.

That’s just me though. You don’t have to sell websites. I know of photographers, mechanics and customer service reps who have all figured it out, too.

If you dig your town, then stay in it. If you want to travel, fuck, do that, too. It doesn’t matter, just drum up the nerve to do what will make you happy.

I can promise you, if you’re into it, you’ll achieve it. There will come a point in your life when living beneath another gorgeous mountain becomes all, “been there done that” and you’ll smile at the idea of comparing one paradise to another.

And that’s when you start to feel like dying wouldn’t suck quite as bad as it would have yesterday.