I am enjoying our full-time travels and finding lots of people who share the interest in seeing different places, moving on, and so on. I find myself wondering, though, at the differences between my nature and that of a person who has tenure in a place.

Earlier in my life, I would have thought poorly of someone who continues on where his/her ancestors lived; now I admire that. I find it somehow beautiful and moving to learn of families who have fished the same waters off Norway for 1,000 years; to meet and talk with a woman whose family came to New Mexico in the 1600s, and is still in place; to meet men who are following an ancestral occupation (in this case, stone masonry), one being 7th generation and the other an amazing 16th generation! I find all this honorable, beautiful, and admirable. 

I wonder why neither my ancestors nor I have had this sort of stamina. I think it has to do with the loss of traditions and traditional values, but I'm not sure how to get closer to the matter. Oh well... Just interesting; not important, I guess.

Hmmm...interesting to ponder.

 

I don't know, I've just never had that stay in place gene. I think there's beauty in both lifestyles but I sure know that the mobile one is the best one for me.

I've found more and more that as much as I love to dart around the nation checking out cool things I hadn't thought to see before or hadn't been able to for whatever reason, I absolutely need to stay put for a couple of months at a time, too. "Slow travel" I believe it's called, and whether that means just parking our travel trailer somewhere for a month or two, or renting a vacation house for the same period of time, it feels good to get to know places in a way that no weekend or annual weeklong visit can quite provide.

Getting to know people who can give you a reason to come back, finding the exact perfect barstool and that hiking trail that no one is ever on...that kind of stuff is wonderful and allows for a little of both life.

1000 generations of Norse fishermen does have a certain ring to it, too. Imagine being the kid in that line who was all "man, I wonder what England's like?" 

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Yup, this is exaclty why we'll be giving the Big Bend another go-around this winter for at least a month, maybe two. See you there?

When comparing the two, what is important is that both ways are pleasing and satisfying to the ones living that way.  Too many people feel "stuck" or afraid so don't pursue something else and just do with what they have and the years go by.  I have a friend who has always described herself as a "nester", something that I'm not, don't understand and certainly don't think I want to be but it works for her.  The first 20 years of my life, I lived in one small town without opportunities and I joined the Air Force planning to return home after the enlistment was up but instead, almost 40 years later, I'm still on the go.  Having tried to settle down, I can't so I keep spilling the nest over and am ready for more adventure.  Luckily, the family is always up for adventure too.  Cathy