On New Chapters

About four years ago, Kristen and I were visiting Estes Park for a long weekend. It was the first time we'd stayed away from home during the pandemic and we felt excited to be out in the world. One afternoon we were sitting on the patio of a brewery, squares of tape separating our section from other patrons, still able, though, to strike up conversation.

A red Sprinter van parked and a 20-something woman and her father emerged. They were visiting from California, taking?"Big Red" across the country during the world's big pause. I looked at Big Red and knew that a camper van was part of my future plans. She represented a life of freedom and adventure.

On Friday, Kristen and I officially closed the page on our time in Denver (for now, at least). It marks a beautiful four years of learning, growing, and exploring. And now we begin a new chapter in our van with her very own nickname, Babs. One I trust will be filled with at least an equal amount of learning, growing, and exploring. Those are things we're committed to.

I'm writing you from Grand Teton National Park. We arrived yesterday after two full days of driving, bearing witness to breathtaking landscapes -- some of which felt more like the moon than the Earth -- while learning to relax into this new way of life.

By the time this hits your inbox, I'll be heading toward Yellowstone, a wild land?where natural life thrives in all its wonder and glory. The perfect place to play with freedom. And then onward again.

Friends tell me there is a book to be written about this time in our life. About what it takes to live with someone?in 60 square feet for months on end. About how to lovingly release most of our worldly possessions. About how to make a business work while navigating intermittent internet service, days of driving, and the intention to explore the wild. About commitment and living one's values, no matter what gets in the way. Living the life we choose.

I suppose all that is in here and more. Right now, I feel like a man in the in between. Curious to see what my days are like in this new chapter. What inspires me. What I choose to let go of. So far, I've chosen to stretch and exercise with our new TRX bands both mornings. (Thanks Val and Jason for the rec/nudge!) That's a new habit and a choice I am happy with. I look forward to it continuing and to seeing the result over time. I?don't think all changes need to be drastic or upending.

We've been listening to an audiobook during our drives and in the introduction the author shared he never knows where his stories will go when he begins them. He often begins in one direction only to see the characters move and shift someplace completely unexpected. That's a little how I feel right now. I have an idea of what I'd like in these upcoming chapters, and for my story overall, but right now I'm letting the characters drive. Later, I'll connect the dots and reflect on how I got there, the lessons learned.

That, I think, is one of the sweetest parts of new chapters. Having some idea of what's ahead while knowing the words aren't yet written. There is a surrender to it, a celebration of life life-ing.

I'm looking forward to sharing new paragraphs as they're written. And I hope that you're celebrating whatever chapter you're in, however new or old. My next move is to a rocky beach for a dip in crystal-clean mountain waters. Two hours ago, I didn't even know it existed and now I get to play in it! Have a wonderful week.

Love.

Matt

PS If you want to see pictures, videos, and stories as we explore, check it here.???