Off To Victoria

I'm sitting in the food service area at the Tsawwassen BC Ferries terminal, waiting for the 3:00 PM ferry. There are people wandering around, sitting at tables, having coffee, chattering. The couple at the table next to me has a newborn baby, perhaps a week or two old. They are Chinese; their baby has an absolutely full mat of thick black hair. At the table next to the, a group of young students are playing cards, chattering away in a language I don't understand, most probably Chinese given their ethnic makeup and the sounds they are making. Across from me, a young man is studying on his computer; he's told me he is taking Forestry Science at UBC.

I hadn't planned on being here today. This was supposed to happen tomorrow. My plan had been to take it easy for a day in Vancouver, visit with my Mom and Ray, rest up for the next jaunt. Unfortunately my daughter, Mary, has some conflicts in her schedule, so I made the decision to head over today instead. With only a few minutes warning, I grabbed my suitcase and computer bag, headed for the truck, and drove to the ferry terminal.

It's one of the really great things about my life on the road. No plan is sacrosanct; things can change. I don't have to be anywhere at any given time. I don't want to get home before the elevator is done. I don't want to stay away from home any more than I have to, not one day too long. So, while I have a road trip plan, with the concomitant spreadsheet, I've decided not to pay too much attention to it. I've decided, instead, to go with the flow, take it as it comes, and enjoy the voyage just as much as I enjoy the destinations.

It's kind of like that with my ALS too. The further down this road I go, them more I come to realize that the voyage is still important in spite of the distractions along the way. Change happens; it is the only constant. No plan works, at least not past the moment. Just as the wind brings the weather, the weather brings the wind. All I have to do is catch some in my sails, travel where it takes me, and enjoy both the ride and the destination, whatever it may be.

I come more and more to realize how fortunate I am; I am a lucky man. I have a good life, a wonderful life. It is not free from distractions, nor is it particularly easy. It is rewarding, fulfilling, exciting, interesting. Yes, it will end, perhaps sooner than I would like. But who among us knows the number of his days? I'm working hard to keep going. My reward is that I get to keep going, to live. That's my only real plan.