We are so lucky. I’m two generations removed from a boy who lived with his mom and 9 siblings in a single room farmhouse… his family was so poor that he was limited to two squares of toilet paper when he used the bathroom (I wish I made up this sad, confusing, and hilarious fact). My grandfather and his siblings had to fight to survive. Now, I have a life where I’m able to ask the question, “What should I do to be truly happy?” or in the words of my previous post, “How Sid do we want to be?” Given such recent hardships in my family, I feel a bit embarrassed to even ask such esoteric questions.
But after this wonderful road trip, it does seem natural to wonder if we could make this lifestyle a bit more permanent. Live in our van, relax, not work very much — continue skimming the cream of life, as Sid would say.
El Vanny Blanco resting in the Cloud Peaks Wilderness area near Ten Sleep, WY.
I think that we could live this lifestyle if we wanted to. The thing is, I have a really great job. Teaching at a community college pays enough and comes with great benefits. I get summers off, and a nice vacation for every other season of the year. Most importantly, I legitimately like helping people learn math. As much as I want to run for the hills and never look back, I do want to keep my job for now.
Leonard was not too pleased to wake up in the middle of a cattle drive.
As far as what we call our home, we have the option of selling or renting our house to live in the van full time. El Vanny Blanco feels like home, so we will definitely make a road trip every summer. But there would be some downsides to year-round van life. Writing and recording music is much more difficult in a van, as are things like using a bathroom, getting a shower, and just finding a little space to yourself. It’s not as tough as living with 9 siblings, but the 4 of us are a bit squeezed in at times. For now, having a house is a nice convenience for the other 9 months of the year. I think we’ll keep it that way. (But after realizing that we can comfortably fit all of our belongings into a van, we will be regulars at the Goodwill donation center.)
Natalie at Yellowstone Lake
My grandfather had a difficult, very poor upbringing. But all of his children ended up living much more comfortable lives. A generation later, we are living lives that are almost too lush -- we live in overwhelming comfort. Many people our age feel unnerved by the ownership and consumerism that was unavailable just two generations ago, and we find ourselves longing for simplicity. We we want to live happy lives, not just lavish ones. So for now, if only in the summers, Natalie and I will mimic the life of my grandfather, living in a single room with our entire family, thanking him for his struggles, and making the most of what he and his generation gave us.