Greetings!
Choices are what it’s all about. I try to present choices that have worked for me or others, as well as choices that have failed for myself or others. Everyone is free to make whatever choices they prefer, good, bad, or indifferent. Presenting choices people otherwise might not even know they had, can’t be considered a bad thing.
Everybody here, including myself, is eager to hear what does or doesn’t work for others. Everything we can learn, whether we choose to use it now or not, could be the solution that will save us later. This life presents a lot of problems, many of which are unique to us, and solutions that may work in other lifestyles, aren’t necessarily good choices for us.
Veterans, survivors, or whatever you wish to call us, frequently catch flack from the promoters and their followers because we tend to follow Paul Harvey’s lead, and tell “The Rest Of The Story”. Since we’re donating our time, and not getting paid to promote the lifestyle, we try to expose the good, the bad, and the ugly, not just the dream, that all too often turn into nightmares. Only a tiny amount of the people who try this lifestyle actually succeed at it long term. “Murphy” was an optimist, and would have made a great van dweller, yet still he wrote “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and usually at the most inopportune time.” (Murphy’s Law)
A few people can solve almost any problem when it arises, but that really isn’t true for most of us. Most of us don’t have the needed skills unless we learn them. Money could be an alternative answer, but if something goes wrong and you’re boondocking with no cell service or internet, even money might not help. Planning on the other hand, could be a lifesaver, literally… Your knowledge, or lack of knowledge, can make the difference between life & death. Knowing our options, before we need them, is priceless.
The wise have multiple plans, and multiple backup plans. While we can’t predict the future, we can be prepared for just about anything. Knowledge is power, but it must be stored in your head. Not in books, or online, because depending on your situation, the knowledge in your head might very well be all you have available at that time. Sooner or later, we all find ourselves in a situation where the only person we can rely on is ourselves, our knowledge, and our skills.
It’s never been about “my way is the only way”, it’s about “you can never have too many ways”. You can’t make a choice you don’t know you have.
If I do come across as rude, that’s not intentional, but I do get passionate about saving people from themselves, or at least offering them alternative choices. My goal is to save people time, money, & problems, and I will never apologize for that.
Cheers!
"Judge yourself, not others..." ~ Road Warrior
and I welcome further feedback from you and the rest of the van gang!