Some of you may have seen on Facebook about Oldest Junior Hall and his trip to New Zealand. But there’s a whole backstory to Joey’s (the afore-mentioned Oldest Junior Hall) trip, so I thought I’d share that along with “The Importance of Now“. I wanted to include Joey’s story with that afore-mentioned Muffin post, but I ran out of space. So here are the rest of the words, another look at the importance of now.
Joey is big on seeing the world. And that’s all well and good, as far as broadening one’s horizons. But seeing the world requires a bankroll to finance the travel hither and yon. So about three or four years ago, after he’d successfully managed a trip to the Grand Canyon and back without falling into the Grand Canyon, he decided he would go on an even grander trip. And so he began to plan.
He had a good job that paid enough for him to live a comfortable lifestyle. But that wasn’t part of the plan. The plan was to save money, little by little, so that one day he could afford a grand adventure.
He brought his lunch to work. He lived in a basement apartment (it was a nice basement apartment but not exactly the kind of space that screams, “Really cool bachelor lives here.”) at a bargain basement rent. Way out in the suburbs of the ATL where it’s far cheaper to live. He continued to drive a somewhat beat-up car that already had well over 100,000 miles on it. He enjoyed activities and such on the weekends–I mean, he wasn’t a hermit or anything–but basically, he opted for a frugal lifestyle.
And to be honest, it was pretty funny, this crazy kid with his Ramen noodles and watching his weight so he could still fit into his clothes from high school (he just turned 29). But then, last summer, he announced his big plan to go to New Zealand. And not just go to New Zealand but to sort of live there, for like, a year.
It was something he’d always wanted to do, and day by day, little by little, he’d worked towards that goal. And then last week, he was off on his grand adventure. To New Zealand. Wow.
Of course we’ll miss him and his noodles. But holy Auckland, I was so excited for him! So happy for him as I hugged him at the airport. He’d actually done it.
There’s something in your heart that you want to do, too. Maybe it’s a grand adventure, maybe it’s writing a grand story. Or maybe it’s growing your own vegetables. It’s not so much what the dream is as it is starting the daily work to get you to that dream.
That’s the importance of now.
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Cathy C. Hall Writes 
I sent Luke back to school yesterday and am feeling a little emotional. But at least he’s not going to New Zealand for a whole year! Thanks for giving me a little perspective. I need to be a little more like you…and now to begin MY grand adventure and get started on that book!
Well, Debra, Joey’s almost thirty years old, so…:-)
Summer will be here before you know it and Luke will be home for quite a while, so off you go on your grand adventure–that book’s itching to be written! 🙂
What a great post, Cathy. I also enjoyed your moving post on The Muffin.
Aw, thanks, Gwen. I so appreciate your comments, too!
Let’s give credit where it is due, Mom—to you and the Beneficent Mr. Hall who obviously did a marvelous job of teaching your Oldest Junior Hall how to plan and set goals. (And credit to him for paying such close attention!) I’m so happy for him. A year in New Zealand! That’s so exciting!
Why, thank you, Lisa, but I think that boy was born that way. He’s been a planner since he lined up his Matchbox cars according to color. 🙂
Cathy–Now you have a relative in New Zealand, so you can fly there and stay with him when you’re able to travel there, right?
Congratulations to him. Traveling abroad certainly broadens a person’s horizons. (Your boy is a handsome one, and I can see you in him, especially in the shape of his eyes and his smile.)
I thought about going to New Zealand, Sioux, I really did. But that’s an awful lot of flying…over a lot of water. That’s gonna take a LOT of courage-gathering for me to make that trip!
(And thanks for the kinds words about Joey! I never think my kids look much like me, but other folks see a resemblance. But yeah, now I can see we have the same eyes!)