Robin, To Answer Your Question

I was married for 9 years to a man who was extremely paranoid and I was not allowed to leave the house. Every Friday I went grocery shopping with my mother and I dreaded coming home because my ex would be so angry. As time went on, I found myself staying home more and becoming reclusive. It was not a healthy relationship. I could say more but out of respect for my children, that is enough.

When my brother, Ray passed away June 1 1992 I left the marriage. I grabbed the kids, a laundry basket of clothes and called my mom. I also carried with me all of the baggage I accumulated during my 9 years with my ex husband. I cannot describe the fear I had of anything new, such as leaving the house, going to college, applying for benefits, and meeting people. The first time I spent anytime with someone other than my family and my ex I threw up. I was stressed to the limit you could say.

I also had to learn to drive. My poor children endured that and I don’t know how they did. I was afraid to drive at night, I was afraid to have them in the car with me, I was afraid of anything coming towards me, and I kept confusing the brake with the accelerator. It took a year to get me to go faster than 45 miles an hour. However, once I did I became the proud owner of three traffic violations.

To acquire the necessary skills to become employable I started volunteering, to open the mind (so to speak) I started college, and with each step I took into becoming independent I found myself growing stronger. Fear though, still ruled my life. I was offered a very good job complete with benefits and I took it. I didn’t finish college. I lived in a rural area and jobs were few and far between. I made the right choice.

I learned through experience. I had to overcome a lot of fears but I learned. I was like my geriatric puppy in one sense because I just hated leaving my comfort zone.

I don’t know this but I have a feeling that my supervisor at work knew how terrified I was. She was the only one that was extremely supportive of me at work. She could be a real bitch but she forced me to do things that I was uncomfortable doing. She gave me a sense of purpose.

In the 15 years since my divorce, I accomplished more than I thought I could. I learned from experience, from people who knew and was supportive of me.

I started out Rving with no clue to what I was doing or embarking upon. Mom and I were ripe for the picking so to speak. Prior to Rving, I rarely used tools with the exception of a weed eater and mower. Prior to Rving, I drove a small Seabring. When mom brought up the idea of buying a motor home my first thought was “It ain’t happening.”

Robin, I learned this lifestyle from day to day experience. I bought a toolbox and took tools that I thought I might use. I had no clue to what they were but I did know a hammer and screwdrivers were essential. I figured out the vice grips just by accident. I was outside one day and I saw it. I played around with it until I figure out what it good for. It wasn’t until the other day that I figured out I could clamp it on a broken screwdriver and pound on it with a hammer. In fact, I have figured out everything in my toolbox and I have used every tool in there.

I learned about the hitch through research and experience. That makes my life interesting, you could say. I can even hook up the car without mom’s assistance. Having my mother there makes hooking up the car is so much easier.

I have come a long way in 15 years. I am hoping the next 15 years will be just as rewarding. I hope I can spend the next 15 years with my mom, enjoying this lifestyle. My grandmother told me that you would grow old when you stop learning. I hope every day is a learning experience and so far, it has.