"I am poor". I've never said those words. I've never written them. I've never thought them.
And, yet, here we are.
I'm writing these words in a town called Tusayan, Arizona. It's less than 5 miles from the Grand Canyon. Gas is $4.49/gal. Water is $4.99/gal. A regular sized Big Mac combo from McDonald's (duh) is $10.49. I know that because I've spent every morning here for two weeks now. I still don't eat fast food (7 years strong!), but come here for coffee and incredibly slow WiFi. And, the people-watching isn't half bad either! I've gotten off the point already, haven't I?
This mission I'm on was incredibly poorly planned. My own fault. I mean, don't get me wrong, I thought of ALMOST every possible scenario when building Vandalf the Grey, and it has certainly paid off. I have plenty of blankets to keep warm on 19 degree nights, plenty of storage, tools for almost every scenario, knives for murder (or, chopping onions...whatever), lighting, solar power, and the list goes on and on. Seriously, living in this thing has been a very easy transition.
So, let's just talk about my current situation, and how it came to be. And, I write this, not asking for anything. Certainly not money or help or any of those sympathetic feelings things. This beard doesn't need it.
Current Situation:
I'm stranded near this tiny town of Tusayan, staying in the Kaibab National Forest
I have an estimated $3 in change to my name
I have $12 in my bank account
I have an estimated 4 gallons of gas in the van
I have befriended the staff at McDonald's, who allow me to fill up a gallon jug of water every day for Onyx and I
I have had only PB&Js, pasta noodles and hot dogs for two weeks
I had to choose between buying a can of Fix-A-Flat for a daily-leaking tire or $10 worth of food
Let's rewind:
Opposite of popular opinion, travelling is not inherently expensive. Honestly, it's crazy cheap. IF done the proper way, i.e. budgeting for food and entertainment expenses, gas, etc. However, I've never been one to do any of those things. I've just, sort of, always had money. By hard work, mind you. Not given to me, by any means.
Where things went wrong:
#1. So, when I was planning this mission, I donated everything. Upon retrospection, I probably should've sold more things, to prepare financially for unexpected costs on the road (a $2,600 van repair bill before even leaving, a flat tire in Nevada, a $150 "pet recovery fee" in Las Vegas, a very necessary $300 tune-up in North Carolina, the list goes on and on). But, giving things away to people is just so incredibly fulfilling. It's hard to describe the look in that kid's eyes when I gave him an Xbox, or when I gave that lesbian couple my luggage, or when I dropped off ELEVEN bags of clothes to the Goodwill.
I've also spent too much of my own money with some of the charities and people I've worked with ($412 for a food drive in Asheville, $120 to tow a dude in need in Pisgah Forest, $40 to give a family gas money). But, in essence, the altruism of this mission is what motivates me, and I know things will work out.
#2. I spent money like an asshole. I left St Pete with maybe $3K, after building the van, repairing the van, etc. I still have some revenue coming in, having kept a couple of awesome clients for Social Media Management. However, that's a tiny fraction of my previous income.
I spent the previous six months paying off every debt that I had, so as I left, I knew my monthly expenses were going to be less than $150/mo. Without rent, car payment, and all those other unnecessary expenditures, I felt pretty free to go out into the world.
But, like the asshole I am, I kept on spending money as if I were still employed. Drinks out with friends, stupid decisions eating out, buying dumb things. It took two and a half months, but all that led to this McDonald's booth I sit in today.
As I mentioned earlier, I write this not looking for anything. Things will certainly work out. Yes, I have a plan. But, I write this to make it public. In the past, I have always fed my ego with my direct deposit. Always felt my worth as a human was grounded in my net worth. This mission has given me so much more than the ability to buy the latest 4K tv. It is helping me evolve into the man I want to be. To be humble. Grounded. Loving. Aware of others. Because, in the end, we all just end up as dust. I hope I can influence just one other person to be a better human being.
And, if you need my $3 in change, it's yours.
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