March 16, 2004
I have good news! My mother has recovered from her illness – and although I am very grateful for the year I was able to spend with her, at last - it's time to leave Sacramento..
I’ve thought long and hard about where to go and what to do, and although there are many places I have yet to see – and people I have yet to meet, I feel the spirit calling me once again… and it’s back to Branson, Missouri.
Why? I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s because Branson is the one place where I can earn a living AND pursue my art. Perhaps it’s because the Lord has a plan… and there’s something I am to do there – or someone I am to meet. Or perhaps the reason is not mine to know and I must simply go where I am led… without question - or the need for answers. And so I shall.
Exactly two weeks from today, Tinkerbell and I will be on the road once again; this time heading directly back to Branson, Missouri. During this past year with my mother, I’ve driven my RV on only two occasions, so I hope and pray that my journey will be safe and uneventful. But even if it isn’t – I have no fear. I’ll simply meet each obstacle as it arises, secure in the knowledge that everything happens for a reason… and it’s up to me to make the most of each and every situation. That, my friends, is the gift of unshakable faith. And THAT is my most valuable possession!
But before I leave, I wanted to take a moment to thank those of you who have emailed or written me as you have followed my journey. I’ve received letters from as far away as Africa and Australia… and I can’t tell you how much they mean. Thank you!
I had hoped to have my book, Poetry on the Road, finished by now… but unfortunately, I’m such a perfectionist that only the first draft is complete. If I didn’t have to eat, I could continue writing full time… but alas, the necessities of life are calling me back to the rolls of employment and the security of a steady income. I don’t mind; in fact, I actually LIKE working, but that means putting my book on hold while I tend to the business of simply existing on this wonderful planet.
And Branson is the perfect place to combine those two things because it’s “seasonal”. Even the restaurant where I once served food closes during the winter, which would give me time to concentrate solely on my writing. What more could I want? (Unless we could figure out a way to get the ocean a little bit closer to Missouri!) J
So, now I have a million and one things to do before time to leave. I’m hoping (with God’s help) to be able to find a little piece of the Earth in Branson to call my very own; perhaps with room for a flowerbed and a small garden. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
I’m donating my little Suburu to charity before I leave because with 200,000 miles on it, it’s not worth towing 2500 miles - over two mountain ranges. Fortunately, I’ve managed to save the grand sum of $1,000 with which to buy another car when I get there.
And so, my brothers and sisters, the next leg of my journey begins!
Wish me luck!
Abigayle
PICTURE BELOW: My mother and I enjoying each other’s company.