Transplated

Have you ever wanted to just pick up and move? Did you ever feel like selling, or even giving away 90% of your material passions, putting the rest in a small U-Haul and just moving into a new location on this earth where no one knows you? At the age of 40-'ish' years, my wife and I did just that! A major life changing event can be summed up as "... we went there on vacation and in less than 2 months, we lived there...", going from a 6 bedroom house to a 10 foot long box truck.

Both my wife and I come from painful divorces. Nasty, fingernail scratching, hair pulling separation from depression and oppression. Personally, I do not with that on anybody, especially for the 4 total children we collectively have, as they all have been effected in different ways. That being stated, I do not regret anything. Our divorces have led us to the calmest and most beautiful relationship that I could even imagine. It seems as though we have somehow 'got it right'.

My wife is a Creative Writer, Event Planner, and Marketing Specialist. Her comfort zone is surrounded by business woman and creative thinkers. Although she quit her job to move here, she maintains and operates her own business. I work in the Oil Field. Although I excel my job, my forte is in designing mechanical and structural components in fluid and gas handling processes. My interest has always been in the energy industry. Our everyday life is different that most. I spent most of my time away from home working.

Anyone can call themselves a photographer. I once met this lady at a local winery who was selling a piece she had taken for over $300.00. I found myself staring at her piece, mostly because it was almost identical to one that I have taken myself. During a brief conversation about the piece, she quickly described herself as a photographer. Never have I described myself as such. I do not believe that I am. Rather, I simply enjoy capturing the beauty that I see. When I go out with the camera, I sometimes find myself taking hundreds of pictures a day. When I return home, if I find myself even close to satisfied with 2 of them, it was a good day.

As the rain falls outside, I sit here are write, and ponder, and wonder. How does one describe him or herself? I'm thinking this is my latest question. How does one just be, then sit and write it all down on paper, or digital input, as it is? Well, let's try... I rarely look into the future. Instead, I look into the very near past; yesterday, last week, last month, but no further. Everything in the 'future' just simply comes together day by day. I believe there is a very real, everyday connection between our past, the people whom have fallen, and today. As long as tomorrow is no worse than yesterday, it is a success. The types of events that most people consider huge, I look at as simple steps, yet the moments that most people only notice in their peripheral, I tend to take the most pride in. I guess that makes me ass-backwards. I'm told that there are people who look up to me, and if that's true, it's nothing short of confusing to me. I once read a quote that best describes how I live my life. It goes something like: “The only time you look in your neighbor's bowl is to make sure that they have enough. You don't look in your neighbor's bowl to see if you have as much as them.” In fact, the only reason why I noticed that not everyone lived their life like this, is because I have raised a few teens. To sum it all up, one of my favorite lines is "...there is no book given to us on how to live our life. I just make it up day by day." Many would argue that there is a book, The Bible. I have no argument with anyone about that. AND, that is all I choose to speak about it, as that conversation only happens over a few beers or glasses of wine, by the fire.

-Jeff