How many times have we heard or even said the maxim, “It’s not the destination; it’s the journey!”? Well, let me just add to that well-loved thought. It’s true that it is not only the destination. But I think it is even more than the journey. I believe it’s being able to relive the story, many many times after.
Therein lies
the beauty of being a storyteller. And the retelling can be by speaking, uttering
the words with the nonverbals that accentuate them. However, I prefer to put
those words silently on paper. Yes, after my retirement, besides becoming a wanderer and a wife, I have also become a writer.
Still, the road to becoming one has been fraught with difficulties.
First of
all, I come from the world of left brains. From a degree in BS Mathematics and
a career in the business world of computers, it was hard trying to awaken the right half of my brain. I had been writing proofs of theorems and
hypotheses or business project proposals and reports. Theses and dissertations
in my master's and doctor's programs did not help either. My first book Carolina: Cruising to an American Dream came
about only as a compilation of the posts I kept in a blog as we RVed
across America.
The other
the problem I have is this: English is not my native tongue. I was born in the
slums of Manila. I got a great education through the Philippine public school system in elementary and two scholarships in high school, and college. Besides, Tagalog has a very foreign syntax as compared to English. My husband, the one
who edited my early writings used to return pages
I wrote almost black because of erasures and revisions.
My writing has
improved over time. After all, I have been writing for nine years now. But I
still do not have the flair for the idiomatic, local American English, that which
is spoken in the streets, in homes, in the offices of America. That is why I
have the TV on the whole day so I can imbibe by hearing. Unfortunately, it
drives Bill to his office. Actually, I have an office. I just don’t use it and
prefer to stay in a more expansive living room. That’s why Bill is thinking
of putting an Arizona room. But that is TMI.
Now, I want
to express my innermost feelings and thoughts, even if it makes me vulnerable. There is so much I want to share from our exploration of the world.
And my time here is ever becoming shorter and shorter. It is good that the hours we spend on the road has also become less, giving me more time to wonder about our
wanderings, to think about insights gained from those trips, and share the
lessons learned so that they might be of help to others, too.
By the time
I am done with Cruising Past 70 and have shifted to the last phase, Cruising to
the End, I would not only have the outer journeys to relive. I will also have
lessons and insights to refine and reshare. By that time, I can picture Bill
and me, smiling and with hands clasped, reliving each one, whiling our hours
away in our “rocking” chairs or maybe still traveling...from our “armchairs.”
Nice article Carol .BTW, I rarely have "corrections" anymore, just a FEW (very few) ideas. But are you sure your new topic will cover 30 years?
ReplyDeleteWill surely make it last long!
DeleteYou know, you're absolutely right. I always thought it was the journey, rather than the destination. But I've never even thought of the story telling element that goes beyond those two things.
ReplyDeleteI like all 3. As a matter of fact, I like a 4th: planning!
DeleteWonderful article! We will be linking to this particularly great article on our website.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good writing.
Thank you much!
DeleteAfter reading your post, it does makes me think how I wish to do the similar thing when I decided to retire. I am glad that my partner is very supportive of my writings and we travel together always. I can't wait to read your blog sharing that you finally finished your book.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your kind words! Probably by the end of the year!
DeleteThanks for ones marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed
ReplyDeletereading it, you may be a great author.I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and may come back in the future.
I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great posts,
have a nice holiday weekend!
Many many thanks!
DeleteSounds like a great idea to share your inner side and experience to the golden years, bravo
ReplyDeleteIt's so true! The Journey is what is most important, the memories you make during those journeys add up to make the destination even more spectacular. xo - Kam
ReplyDeleteAll three plus planning!!!
DeleteI know what you mean about right brain / left brain. I am a physicist and writing was not my natural go to. I also count on Jenn to de-engineer a lot of my posts. Studies have shown time and time again that nostalgia and recalling memories have profound effect of your psyche and feeling of well being.
ReplyDeleteHappy Campers we all are!
DeleteWe started blogging so that we could relive our travels over and over again. I understand your point about not having time to ponder your travels and learnings when you are travelling all the time. I am sure you will love reliving your journeys from your armchairs.
ReplyDeleteAll three are great phades if travel,bplus the planning!
DeleteI love sharing my travels on my blog, it's also a great way of keeping the memories alive
ReplyDeleteI live reading them again!
DeleteOne feels your passion for expressing yourself in your writing in every word. It's amazing that you can write so 'deep' in a language that's originally yours. I do the same and i know what a struggle it can be at times.
ReplyDeleteBut we made it! Congratulations to us!
DeleteI agree. I live my journey a second time when I write about it, and at that time take extra time to savor it. And I realize today as I've been busy updating my blog posts that I live it yet again when I am doing a tedious chore like that--one of the bonuses of being a travel writer.
ReplyDeleteYes. And I look forward to the time when I will not tire of looking at them!
DeleteI'm not far behind you in the aging trajectory, so your phrase, "time to wonder about our wanderings" resonates for me. And, as it is for you, my wondering is not just about our geographical wandering, but also about our wandering through this thing we call "life".
ReplyDeleteAnd it is do satisfying yo know that we tried almost everything!
DeleteCredit it to you, for expressing yourself so well in another tongue. Writing about your journeys is a lovely legacy to leave for family and friends.
ReplyDeleteAnd for us in our rocking chairs!
DeleteA really nice article. I'm curious to see how your "journey" continues and if you find what you are looking for. I'm looking forward to reading about it.
ReplyDeleteSusanne
Not really looking for anything but to continue weaving stories to look back on when we are really old!
DeleteSimply want to say your article is as surprising. The clearness to your publish is
ReplyDeletesimply nice and that i can suppose you're knowledgeable on this subject.
Well along with your permission let me to clutch your feed to keep up to date with coming near near post.
Thanks 1,000,000 and please keep up the rewarding work.
A million thanks!
DeleteWhen someone writes an article he/she retains the image of a user in his/her mind that how a user can understand
ReplyDeleteit. Therefore that's why this piece of writing is amazing.
Thanks!
Hope that is what I was able to do!
DeleteSometimes the journey inside is exactly what the one we take externally, I think even more so for longer trips where our minds tend to go to new and different places over those long hours on the road. The journey itself where you look out at the view and contemplate life and what you do with it. You write very well, I have an aunt from Manila and can recognise that Filipino dialect and accent wherever I hear it. Interestingly, she still used a lot of the American terms for things but over time has picked up the British terms from living there. But she learnt English from the US troops based there!
ReplyDeleteI do have an accent, too! I don't think it will ever ho away!
DeleteQuality posts is the key to be a focus for the visitors to visit the website,
ReplyDeletethat's what this web site is providing.
Many thanks!!?
DeleteI had to laugh about the the TV on, I have mine on all the time and drives people nuts. I love the imagery of reliving the story in your rocking chairs!
ReplyDeleteWill never give up that TV noise even when I am in those rocking chairs.
DeleteThe destinations may fade from memory but the journey always remains etched in memory. You are really prolific in your writing. Look forward to your books, I am sure they will be a wealth of information and experiences.
ReplyDeleteHope you get an ecopy!
DeleteVery inspiring - I especially love how you recreated the pose with your own chairs in the photo. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI wanted yo see how we will look when we finally resort to rocking chairs.
DeleteWell done on writing a book! I am two left brains as well!
ReplyDeleteBirds of the same feather!
DeleteI too am tackling a book so can enjoy all that you've described. The inner journey is very much as important as the external one. I sometimes think it is what many fear over the rigors of travel. Storytelling is an art.
ReplyDeleteFear? They fear the inner story?
DeleteWe put all of our travel photos on our large screen TV (computer screen) and watch them in an ongoing slideshow. Sometimes it is a challenge to remember where every single photo was taken, but we love watching the slide show. I imagine that our later years will be spent just that way. No longer taking photos but just watching all the ones we've already taken and remembering our amazing travels!
ReplyDeleteGood for you and your photo essays!!!
DeleteI look forward to reading your next book and the sharing of the journey within. It is such a brave move to put those thoughts on paper and publish them (especially in English).
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support!
DeleteYour journey is so inspiring. I love that you have worked through adversity, and have become such a beautiful and thoughtful writer. Your memories will live on for so many to enjoy down the road.
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope so!
DeleteI've learn several excellent stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting.
ReplyDeleteI surprise how much effort you put to make this type of excellent informative website.
Thank you do much!
DeletePretty! This has been an incredibly wonderful article.
ReplyDeleteThanks for supplying this info.
How does it work...trying to awaken the half of your brain that's not fully you? Being a right brained person myself, I couldn't awaken an iota of my left brain if I tried. :)
ReplyDeleteI just kept on trying. As you said, it just needs to wake up!
DeleteI totally resonate your thoughts as life is not reaching a destination but to feel the journey. In traveling also I find journey more beautiful then reaching to the destination. I too agree that while writing it improves more and more over years. Thanks for lovely inspirational post.
ReplyDeleteNot just the destination. Not even the journey. It's the reliving of the story.
DeleteVery interesting idea to shift your writing focus from the outer destination to the inner journey. Sounds like a wonderful next phase for your writing.
ReplyDeleteNot entirely but to spend time on inner journeys too.
DeleteI agree. A trip only lasts a short while, but the memories last forever, and you can boostl them by keeping photographs or writing an account of your travels.
ReplyDeleteThat's the additional motivation for me as a travel writer!
DeletePerks for travel writers!
DeleteThanks so much for sharing your insights. As you know I'm turning 60 this month and often what's ahead. I've made lots of transitions in my life too. Each one has brought unexpected wonders and some not so great. But each day I learn something new and am grateful for all I have seen and will see in the future.
ReplyDeleteI know. Happy birthday! It's the time to do more of sharing insights gained. I must admit they still get refined each day!
DeleteI love this post. I think your English is terrific, and I've enjoyed tagging along on so many adventures with you and Bill. You've had a wonderful journey...and the best is yet to come!
ReplyDelete