We each have our own beach personality. Shiloh immediately goes off to explore. Jocelyn plunges into the water to get the full experience. Selah will find her own little spot to camp out (if we make any suggestions, there is an immediate no, she has to find her own thing her own way.) JoJo is just ecstatic to be anywhere doing anything. Scott finds youthfulness and nostalgia. I can completely melt away, find my soul, feel the release of any weight I was previously carrying. As though I can see myself in a sci-fi movie and my body melts into particles and drifts away.
John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness
Many people in the typical neighborhood/sticks and bricks life find a rhythm in the schedule. In contrast, many traveling families adhere to no schedule and very little planning when it comes to the next destination. We fall in the middle. Our rhythm of life tends to follow Scott's work schedule. However, there is wiggle room in the routine. When Dad has a day off, comes home early, has weeks in between the next job, then we can drop the school books (or put them in the car) and head out for some family exploration. Sometimes that leads to a new park or library, sometimes to Chinatown or Little Italy, San Francisco or New York City, sometimes to an amusement park or children's museum, as much as possible to the beach, or hanging out with some of the wonderful people that we meet.
Scott also has the liberty to leave a job at any time and go onto the next one. But there is restraint due to his loyalty to his company, his union brothers, and his family. Freedom with responsibility is the formula for a renewed mindset that reminds him of his purpose and not just the daily grind. Each day is a choice. Now, Scott still puts a pressure on himself to provide for his family. And sometimes (like now), I enroll the kids in activities I wish to stay in one location to complete. But, we have learned Plan B,C, and D have proven worthy. God has always provided the next job at the location he intends for us at the time that He wants us to be there. Free indeed...
A Lifestyle of Learning
I want many virtues to be developed in my children, but the constant exposure that I hope they get by our traveling lifestyle is problem solving and critical thinking. I mention those two things every now and then. But more so I want them to be exposed to it by just relishing in the uniqueness of their lifestyle. Anyone that has put themselves in new situation after new situation knows there is ample junctures for problem solving.
"Critical thinking means making reasoned judgments that are logical and well-thought out. It is a way of thinking in which you don't simply accept all arguments and conclusions you are exposed to but rather have an attitude involving questioning such arguments and conclusions."
Even traveling within the United States we are exposed to very different cultures, beliefs, and attitudes. We are living in a space of "why?" and that can surely be a dreaded question for parents. But it leads to rich discussion, and exposure that we would not get any other way. I want others' conclusions questioned. I want our conclusions questioned.
Our children can see that the way they are living is different than most. They also see others participating in this same lifestyle. And with each destination, we get to be curious and open up a world of discovery.
I do use a packaged curriculum for my children, but when the day's assignments are left undone. I can be assured that the "unschooling/roadschooling" (creating and maintaining an environment in which natural learning can flourish) approach for the day is shaping minds and opening up potential that a book would never be able to do.
Freedom of Choice/ Freedom in the Choice
Our life is not a beach. But it opens the floodgates of possibility. Our brains have been reprogrammed to put a spin on obstacles as serendipitous opportunities and not let our life choices be determined by others' conclusions about how this one life is to be lived. We are on a quest to continually grow, to not get stuck, but also not to move just for the sake of moving.
There is a discretion with our freedom. We are charged with the task of being a good steward of our time, our blessings, and our opportunities. But we do not have to follow the culturally mandated schedule of life. Our family can be very whimsical in the day to day, however there is still an order and a goal in mind.
Fortuity is the state of being controlled by chance rather than design. My hope is that our steps are being determined by the combination of chance and design. The chance or crossroads in the opportunity and the abundance of opportunity that comes with taking risks, and the design in who we were already created to be and stepping into that fully.
The photos that I post could lead others to believe that our life is a beach. The truth is that we usually have the liberty to be at the beach. For many of our travel destinations that is reality. The gain in this traveling journey is not that we can go to the beach each day. It's that we have the convenience of choice. Traveling has opened up a sea of possibility. The freedom in the choice changes everything. It changes the program of the mind, and gives the heart a voice. Curiosity of what else is possible can no longer be suppressed, hopes are awakened, and child-like faith arises.
