Escapees March/April 2016

Staff

“Happiness is enjoying what we are doing today, as well as planning what we are going to do tomorrow.”

Thoughts for the Road By Kay Peterson #1, Escapees RV Club Co-founder and Director

Want more? Visit www.escapees.com to read more of Kay Peterson’s “Thoughts for the Road” columns. See page 75 for information on ordering Chasing Rainbows , a compilation of Kay’s favorite columns.

Looking back: May/June ‘86

Sometimes taking a chance means giving up a home and a known way of life to try something new. Many people we met told us they envied our RV lifestyle, but some situation makes them feel this isn’t the right time for them to do it. Many of them will go to their graves still waiting for the “right time.” And sometimes blowing chances results from not taking the time to do something out of the ordinary. How many opportunities we’ve all missed in talking to someone unique, like the folks from a foreign country camped near- by. We really meant to visit them, but when we ¿ nally got around to it, they had gone. The things we regret are not the things we have done, but rather the things we never got around to doing. So, like Cinderella, we blow our chances while we fantasize about how we’d like things to be. I call it the Cinderella Syndrome—fantasizing that someone (Prince Charming) will come along and make us happy. Or we look for something to happen (a dance with the prince) that will bring us instant and eternal happiness. Happiness isn’t having a fairy godmother wave a magic wand to grant your particular goal. Yet, how often we play that game: “I’ll be so happy when I get married, when I have my ¿ rst child, when my last child leaves home, or when the house sells and I can go RVing full-time.” Or “I’ll be so happy when I win the lottery!” Achieving a particular goal is no guarantee of perpetual happiness. Happiness is enjoying what we are doing today, as well as planning what we are going to do tomorrow. Happiness is not a person. It is not an event. It is not a “thing” you acquire. Happiness is an attitude you carry with you wherever you go and in whatever you do. It is accepting the realities of life no matter how unfair or painful those realities may be. It is enjoying where we are now, enjoying life moment-by-mo- ment as we move ever closer to tomorrow’s goals. The only truly happy person is the one who doesn’t let the enjoyment of today get lost in tomorrow’s dreams.

When I was a child, C inderel la was my favorite fairy tale. It sounded so romantic. But from a mature viewpoint, I realize C inderel la was actual ly a pathetic creature. S he allowed herself to be used like a doormat by two self- ish stepsisters and her mean, ugly stepmother (in fairy tales all stepmothers are mean and ugly). Cinderella is old enough to marry when Prince Charming ¿ nds her, so she is certainly old enough to walk away from an unpleasant situation and change her life. But she lacks the initiative to do that. She lacks brains, too. Along comes a fairy godmother with a magic wand ready to grant her any wish, and what does she ask for? A talent on which she can build a career? She could have asked to be set up in a business making dresses for the whole court. She could, at least, have asked for a ride to the city and a job so she can get paid for cleaning houses, since that is all she seems to know how to do. But no, Cin- derella asks for a new dress so she can go to a dance! Talk about blowing your chances. Yet, isn’t that what all of us do? Opportunity knocks many times wearing different faces. Sadly, many of those opportunities never come again. I remember the time Joe was

all set to go skydiving, but the weather turned bad and they canceled the class. Somehow, he never got around to going again. Sometimes, we blow our opportunities because we are afraid—afraid to stick our necks out, afraid to try something new, afraid to take a chance.

www.escapees.com | March/April 2016 | ESCAPEES . 3