48 July/August 2019
show in Las Vegas and I continued to write for
See Beyond Magazine while working on my online
courses, subscription models and events.I must admit though that this great adventure
wasn’t always easy. Living in so many places for
weeks at a time required constant adjustment.
Gaye and I shared any available flat space for our
computers. While at Sara’s, my desk was some-
times a small, round end table, barely big enough
for my thirteen-inch laptop. Sometimes there were
phone and internet hiccups. We memorized four
kitchens, cooked, cleaned, shopped for groceries,
and learned what day the trash went out. Time
zones dictated our sleep patterns. With each move,
we slept in a different bed and had to adjust to
blankets, light sources, sounds, smells, creaking
floors, pets and our hosts’ schedules. When you
wake up in the middle of the night needing to
find the safest route to the bathroom, it’s good to
remember first whose house you’re in.Ultimately, our decision as to where to settle
next came down to two quite different possibili-
ties. Spokane has majestic trees and four seasons.
Scottsdale has cactuses, monsoon seasons, cool dry
winters and beautiful sunsets. Rentals, amenities,
costs, and time frames had to be considered. But
we also asked ourselves which city would provide
us new energy and inspiration. Where can we go
to be fully sourced? Was there such a place?We journaled, meditated, and took pictures. We
discussed this adventure as it related to our own
place in the world, our outlook and lifestyle.I remember telling Gaye, “Some people our age
seem to be tired. Not just retired, but tired. I can’t
relate.” Gaye agreed. Retirement has never been
part of our vocabulary.Eventually, we agreed on Spokane. Besides its
beauty, we looked forward to a lower cost of living
and very welcoming people. After making this
decision, our energy levels went up. Everything
just kept falling into place. We found the ideal
landlords, who have become good friends. We
found a house we love, cut our overhead in half,
and have room for everything. We live in the
most beautiful part of Spokane’s South Hill area,
adjacent to mansions and manicured lawns that
rival Beverly Hills. The speed limit in most places
is just 30mph; we don’t miss the hurry-up, road-
rage urgency too often associated with Southern
California and the 405 freeway.While waiting for the movers to meet us in Spo-
kane, we drove north to see friends and family in
Sacramento, Mt. Shasta, Portland and Seattle be-
fore heading east. At each stop, we told our story.
I hope we encouraged others to venture into the
unknown from time to time, too, for recreation as
well as inevitable personal lessons.Each time we packed up to head to our next
destination, Gaye and I would smile because life
really does come down to moment-to-moment
opportunities. When we are present and follow
the synchronicity in awe and appreciation, every
experience becomes richer.Dave Ribble is author of The Way of The Conscientious Connector
and frequent contributor to See Beyond Magazine.
He is a speaker, coach and VP of Business Develop-
ment for StandOut Marketing Strategies, a promo-
tional marketing company.
Email: [email protected]When you wake up in the middle of the night needing to find the safest route
to the bathroom, it’s good to remember first whose house you’re in.