Common Ground: The Courage to Venture Beyond

August 2007 | Life, the Universe and Everything

The Courage to Venture Beyond

By Molly McCahan

In November of 2005, my husband David and I vacated our over priced San Francisco apartment, threw everything we owned into a 10’x15’ storage unit, left our car with a solar battery charger in a friend’s driveway and took off for 11 magical weeks in Southeast Asia. The journey was part belated honeymoon, part trip of a lifetime. We returned refreshed to the Bay Area for several months, then packed the car to the gills and headed to Seattle in search of a more affordable quality of life.

But after four months in the Pacific Northwest, as my California-born-and-raised psyche wore thin with winter fast approaching, we had an epiphany. There had to be more to life than what we’d envisioned for our late-30s selves. Our innocent plan to get married, purchase a house, adopt a shelter dog, have a baby, buy a Subaru Outback and nestle down in bleary suburban oblivion wasn’t sitting right with our souls.

We were thirsty for something we couldn’t quite pinpoint. With our stuff still in storage, no house to call home, no kids to raise and a decent lump of dough in the bank, we took a bold leap. We’d felt most satisfied when thrust into other cultures and challenged by exotic experiences. Why not spend that down payment money on something that really mattered? Thus, our yearlong around the world adventure was born.

Bursting with excitement, we Googled farm stays in New Zealand, contacted volunteer opportunities in Rwanda. We daydreamed about a book deal. We were going global, and as I allowed the truth to unfold, I was exhilarated — and utterly terrified. Could we pull this off with only a few months’ planning? Would we survive 365 days in cheap guesthouses? Could I give up the creature comforts we Americans so readily enjoy? Would I recognize my best friend’s toddler in a year?

The answer, despite inevitable bouts of anxiety, is a resounding “YES!” What we’re doing is daunting, but it’s also exciting, bold and, in a Buddhist sort of way, necessary. Sure, arranging a trip of this magnitude is no easy feat. There’s insurance to buy, bills to settle, a car to sell, mail to forward, gear to secure, malaria pills to ponder, shots to endure, taxes to pay, living wills to execute, banks to consult, visas to acquire, airline tickets to purchase, family and friends to bid farewell… if the list seems never-ending at times, that’s because it is.

And it doesn’t help that I’m a recovering Type-A, despite having sought refuge in Eastern religion ten years ago. Old habits die hard, and my desire for control often rears its ugly head. I’m deeply grateful for my daily yoga practice; for the Bhagavad Gita; for my meditation coach who graciously replies to my frantic emails; for the support of family and friends; and for my husband, who answered my incessant plea of “I need to travel more,” agreeing to undertake this wild journey with me. It’s real, and I have $7,000 worth of airline tickets and a one-year visa for India to prove it.

Most people with whom we share our story marvel at our ability to pull it off. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin” is a regular response. David reminds me that most folks don’t do what we’re doing because it’s hard, not to mention downright scary. It’s only when I speak to Zen-y others that I’m blessed with an instantaneous smile, an admirable hug, a knowing reply of “Awesome!” Seems folks who’ve dabbled in mindful spiritual practices have an easier time picturing the nomadic path we’ve chosen. Go figure.

Before making this radical decision, my husband and I kept serving up our daily routine for years — mostly because we didn’t know any different. We were simply not aware we could shake things up a bit and still be okay. But after this experience, I don’t believe it benefits anyone to stick with the familiar, to stay mired in habitual thoughts, to remain sheltered in day-to-day patterns. As hard as it is to push outside that comfort zone, it’s in so doing that we grow as human beings — finding deeper fulfillment with each step forward.

Trust yourself to find the courage to venture beyond what you know, and you’ll blossom into something greater than you could ever fathom. I’m living proof, and it feels great.

Molly McCahan is a freelance writer, most recently spotted in Addis Ababa. She and her husband are working on a book proposal chronicling their yearlong global adventure.

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