Be bold with life

This summer I’ve been swimming daily in the local community pool as part of my healing process from Lyme disease (my acupuncture physician suggested it and I’m amazed at how much better I feel floating in cool water).

I made friends with several folks there, including a young lifeguard who was on summer leave from college.

Over the course of my time there, the lifeguard and I mostly small talked. As her summer leave drew closer to ending, we had a couple opportunities for longer talks where we got to know each other a bit better.

She mentioned majoring in psychology and I suggested a couple books she might find fascinating (“Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness” for one, it’s a favorite). She asked what I did and I told her I had Gator Country and lived life as a nomad roaming across the land.

Her eyes widened in wonderment at the stories I shared of my journeys along with other crazy parts of my life travels before I became a nomad.

She was wondering if she could do something like that, at least travel to Europe and such. I could tell she wasn’t sure — perhaps life seemed to have already gotten in the way of it.

I urged her to find a way to make it happen.

That it was a once in a lifetime journey at a young stage in her life. To do it before she got caught in in the relentless march of “regular” life because it stealthily steals time from you as the years fly by.

She nodded, her mind churning and thinking.

A few days before she went back to college, I gave her my copy of “Brain on Fire” with a short note inside:

Life is short. Be bold with it!

It’s never too late, my friends.

I began the nomad life in my late forties and it has been incredibly life changing and deeply fulfilling.

I did it despite emerging from a chronic illness (and coming down with another in Lyme — it ain’t gonna stop me either) and a limited budget.

And I’ve just gotten started — there’s many more adventures and dreams on the way.

Whatever dream you have that brings you joy, do it.

Make room for it in your head and find time for it.

Turn that dream into reality.

Be bold with your life!