Yet another view of retirement

Even though Hans and I research RV’s and the RV lifestyle endlessly, we still are completely undecided on what direction retirement will really take. We acknowledge that we enjoy relaxing and puttering around our home. We wonder if it really would feel like a tether to have a sticks and bricks home in our next phase, or would it be a source of nourishment in our life. We wonder if we will feel overwhelmed by the complete unknowns and transitory nature of the RV lifestyle.

I wonder how much I will miss gardening and that deep connection to nature that can be achieved by working ones hands directly into the soil and producing your own food and a tranquil outdoor environment. I know I will be able to get a nature fix by hiking while RVing, but it will be enough to satisfy my strong desire to connect with the earth? I'll need to get my gardening fix by helping friends and family with their gardens when I visit them!

Thankfully, Hans and I agree that we are completely undecided. We look at each alternative with an open mind and are waiting to see what path feels absolutely right and natural. We know that we want to live a simpler, more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Regardless of the direction we go, we are purging our closets of all unnecessary or unsatisfying belongings.

Happily, the first steps into retirement are clear: sell the house in San Diego, move to the Pacific Northwest, probably Oregon, rent a place to live. Those steps are clear to both of us. And the beauty of it all is that nothing beyond those first steps needs to be planned out!

Once we leave San Diego we can choose to rent indefinitely. Trying on different towns for the perfect fit. Trolling RV dealers for the RV that fits our lifestyle, be it a 5th wheel for life on the road, or a smaller, cozier trailer for shorter getaways.

The anticipation of putting these plans in motion is intoxicating!