Three Moments

An interlude in our story

There were three particular discussions with my mother I would like to share with you. First, I quit my job at the ad agency because I was passed up for a much-needed raise. I was told I “wasn’t stressed enough”. I told them that not getting the raise stressed me, could I please get the raise now! No.

So, Donna told me to quit, that we would figure something out, which we did. I called my mom and told her that I quit my job at the agency. After a brief pause, she replied, “Can you tell them you were just kidding?” 

When everything came to an abrupt end at the Ashwood house, I called my mother to tell her about it. She asked us what we were going to do.

I told her, “We’re going to sell it all and travel around the world!“ 

There was a very long pause on the line. I wasn’t sure she was still on, when finally she replied, “Lance, people talk about doing that, but they don’t really do it.”

“But, we are,” I told her.

Finally, after a few years that we had been on the road traveling, mom recounted with me a conversation she had with a friend who had asked her, “What if they get killed out there traveling in strange places?” My mother replied, “At least they’ll die doing what they want.” I was so proud she came to acceptance.

Next: (7) Inauguration, Crossing & Sand Dollars