Stories of miraculous healing are associated with the Spanish colonial church El Santuario de Chimayo, located in the foothills 28 miles north of Santa Fe.
And it’s all in the dirt.
Or so legend goes.
Actually there are numerous variations of legends associated with this National Historic Landmark. All point to the elusive, miraculous properties of the local soil. Pilgrims take away 25-30 tons each year, to rub on their bodies and even injest in a quest for healing. Each year over 300,000 people will make a pilgrimage to this small adobe church.
But my travels this day were not in search of a miracle, but in search of photographs.
Scenes from Chimayo and environs
I’ve been in and out of Chimayo since I first house sat in Truchas in the mid 1990’s for Alvaro Cardona Hines and his wife Barbara McCauley. But today’s quest was strictly photographic. My previous forays had resulted in a photos, but I wasn’t satisfied with them. Time for some instruction.
David Hoptman who runs Santa Fe Photo Creative Workshops led this foray into Chimayo. David is an artist. Over the last 30 years he has worked with publications such as Architectural Digest and created thousands of pieces of photographic, print, bronze and visual art. This day, David was my guide to help me expand my photographic perspectives.
As an artist, he talked in detail about shape and composition in a way that I only intuited. We trampsed through the high desert, through town and along the roadside, in a quest to learn and to see with an artist’s eye. And there is more to Chimayo than initially meets the eye.
El Santuario de Chimayo
The main entrance to El Santuario de Chimayo
El Santuario de Chimayo is the heart and soul of the village, the epicenter of the annual pilgrimage. The initial construction of the church dates back to 1813. But dating back to the 12th century, the Pueblo people inhabited the area.
The village has carried a healing mystique for hundreds of years. The Tewa Indians believed that land was shared with spirits and their healing powers were revealed via nearby hot springs, which later dried up. They called the area “Tsi-Mayoh,” after one of the nearby hills.
The Spanish also became part of the healing legacy of Chimayo. After the Pueblo revolt of 1680, the Spanish returned under Diego de Vargas. It is here that the various legends surrounding this pilgrimage site take root. One has Don Bernardo Abeyta seeing a beam of light coming out of the nearby hills. Following the light, he dug in the ground, unearthing a crucifix.
He gave the crucifix to the priest who in turn brought it back to his church in Santa Cruz. But the following morning, the crucifix had mysteriously disappeared and reappeared in Chimayo. This happened again. And again.
And so the legend of El Sanctuario de Chimayo took root.
The church is made of adobe and wood, with two bell towers, each topped off with a metal cross, criss-crossed with tiny white lights. A walled garden provides a place to linger.
Adobe and wood are used for the belfries and main body of the church
Inside is a mix of Spanish and Indian folk art decor. One wall is covered in images of gratitude for healing: discarded canes, wheel chairs and braces point to the site’s deep and rich healing legacy.
The church was purchased by the Spanish Colonial Arts Society in Santa Fe (you can visit this museum on Museum Hill) in 1929. The Society then donated the property to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
Traditional Chimayo Weavings
There is more to the legacy of this town than the healing history of El Santuario de Chimayo.
In addition to the religious significance of the village, Chimayo is also known for its tradition of weavings. One family run business, Ortega Weavings, sits on a corner at the edge of town. Here nine generations of weavers provide customized rugs, blankets and clothing.
Rugs and clothing are still woven on traditional looms in Chimayo.
Ortega’s dates back to the early 1700’s when Chimayo was part of New Spain. It started as a means of survival: people needed clothes, blankets and even mattresses. Over time with the introduction of the railroad in the mid 1800’s, trade emerged as the isolated Spanish and Native American cultures started to interact with the Americans.
Other local families and artisans also offer a rich tradition of weaving: Trujillo’s just around the corner has beautiful hand loomed articles and an equally rich history in the woven arts. And up the road towards Truchas, Centinella Traditional Arts offers an array of clothing, rugs and other woven items from local artisans. I found a stunning orange woven, over-the-head-shawl (for lack of a better description) at this shop, in a back room among the looms and yarn.
Each shop is special and they’re all worth a visit, for the history and the creativity of woven art.
A loom at Centinella Traditonal Arts
Chimayo Chile
A story about New Mexico wouldn’t be a story without a tale of chile.
A bit of everything and something for everyone lurks in Medina’s Gallery and Cafe in Chimayo
Chimayo, naturally, has it’s own chile cultivar. The Chimayo Heirloom Chile has been passed down through the generations of farmers in the area. Because the pods are small, they are more difficult to process and thus more expensive. The unique, rich and earthy flavor of this Chile is highly prized and available in numerous places including the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market.
El Potrero Trading Post, located near the church, offers a variety of items, ranging from artwork to religious artifacts. On the chile front, the store offers Chimayo Heirloom, Sandia, Big Jim and Lumbre varieties. Chile may be processed in the oven or sun-dried. The sun dried chile is the most prized. This time intensive process produces a chile orange in tone, and rich in flavor. But try them all…you won’t be disappointed!
Rancho De Chimayo
Every good adventure requires sustenance, and Rancho De Chimayo just outside of the village is the perfect place to stop for lunch.
Home made tamales with red and green Chile at Rancho De Chimayo
Rancho de Chimayo was awarded the James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award in 2016 for their attention to the history and rich culture of New Mexican food. The food is local, simple and delicious. The story behind the restaurant is one of family heritage, hard work and perseverance. Should you find yourself in Chimayo, this is well worth a culinary visit.
The traditions of Rancho De Chimayo have been captured in a book by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison:
From Amazon:
Situated just 30 miles north of Santa Fe off the High Road to Taos, the highly acclaimed Rancho de Chimayo Restaurant has been serving traditional New Mexican cuisine in a beautiful setting for half a century. The atmosphere at this traditional Spanish hacienda, surrounded by mountains, is rivaled only by the fine, native cooking served in the grand early tradition by generations of the Jaramillo family. In 1991 the restaurant published a modest paperback cookbook for their silver anniversary. Twenty-five years and 50,000 copies later comes this beautiful new edition, just in time for the 50th anniversary celebrations. All recipes are completely revised and updated, with more than twenty delectable new dishes added. As an extra bonus, the book also features charming archival images as well as stunning full-color food and location photography, making this a beautiful keepsake of a special place as well as a mealtime companion to turn to again and again.
Getting There
Take the time to take a tour of the back roads of northern New Mexico. Starting at Santa Fe, head up to Chimayo and stop for lunch. From there continue up to Taos, taking the High Road. Stop, linger and absorb the incredible scenery. En route, Truchas is stunning and filled with small art galleries. And Taos offers an array of artistic, outdoor and historic things to do ranging from hiking to Indian Pueblo dances, depending on the time of the year. And don’t forget Taos ski valley or the hot springs and mineral waters of Ojo Caliente after a long day on the slopes.
Whatever you decide to do, whatever the season, it’s a great road trip, worthy of a bit of adventure and exploration.
The High Road to Taos
“The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
The High Road to Taos, as it passes through Truchas
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
A thousand miles from Ecuador, in the Pacific Ocean, are 19 islands that make up The Galapagos.
The islands were made famous first by Charles Darwin and his Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection (published in 1858). Since then, the Galapagos have beckoned travelers looking to discover this unique and isolated ecosystem.
This post is from my friend Charles Porter. Charles’ cancer journey has been quite the road trip. Diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkins lymphoma at age 30, his world was turned upside down. A promising acting career was stalled and instead Charles found himself facing a difficult and risky stem cell transplant.
Which succeeded.
Success with a stem cell transplant
For a while.
The cancer is back, but immunotherapy is currently working.
Cancer teaches us many things. One is to do it now! And so, Charles visited the Galapagos Islands to celebrate his 40th birthday:
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CancerRoadTrip: The Galapagos Islands with Charles F. Porter
#NeverQuit
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Visiting The Galapagos
To commemorate my big 4 0 close friends and family came together from all regions of the United States to meet for an epic adventure in the Galapagos Islands. I personally, along with my mother, brother, niece and her friend Eric left from Los Angeles. Flying through Miami and catching our breath for two nights in Guayaquil, we were able to adjust to time zone changes as well as experience local culture of mainland Ecuador.
Charles and entourage: Ecuador
The adventure was truly a two part celebration. We celebrated my forty years of life but we also took time to celebrate each other and how truly precious each minute of life is. With each excursion, hike or paddle in the ocean we were surrounded by one of a kind wild life amongst exotic back drops of lava rock or bustling tree tops full of birds. With each siting I was reminded how lucky I truly am. Ten years ago I was diagnosed with stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I had a stem cell transplant in 2011 and was in remission for two years. Since then I have had three relapses and continue to treat this disease today. My brother and best friend below has endured the highs and lows throughout this fight. We celebrate the journey and all that it brings with it for this is life.
Best Friends, through thick and thin. Galapagos
Pictured below are my mother and the mothers of two of my closest friends. Two of the moms have battled cancer and the third, my mom, has been a care taker. Her father also passed away from cancer. This disease has affected so many of us. In fact statistics say that nearly 40% be affected by the disease. Fortunately advanced research and science has been able to extend lives and information to healthier life choices give all of us a fighting chance.
Cancer will impact nearly 40% of us.
I would recommend this trip to thrill seekers and those who love to just relax in the sun alike. Thankful for each day.
Over the last five years of my life there have been many challenges. One was the fight for my life as my family, friends and I fought off stage 4 Cancer. I am now two years in remission after a stem cell transplant at UCLA. Many things changed in my philosophy of what is important in life. My circle became smaller but ever so stronger as I am able to pour more energy into relationships that mean the most to me. Many of these poems talk about that fight and what those who battled with me mean to me. You can also see a transition of a young boy turn into a grown man as I start to really search for my true meaning on earth. I always felt as though its to leave this place in a better way then when I entered. Even larger goals are in the balance as I continue to thrive as an artist and my voice starts to reach the masses. I love peace and team work and together we can make a difference. I have learned to never quit and aim high. Much love
From Amazon:
In his last book, ‘Get To Know: Unlocking the Essence in You’, Charles gives insight to the man he was before going through his battle with Stage IV Hodgkins Lymphoma and the man he became once on the other side. ‘Choose Your Path’ was written during the last three to four years of being in remission and is literally being published two weeks after Charles received the news that the cancer has returned. Making this title so much more compelling as Charles will once again try to grow from a life threatening challenge. During the years of medically and mentally being cancer free, Charles has climbed mountains, ran with the bulls and gotten engaged. Substantial changes in his mindset, actions and desires have taken place and Charles lays his private thoughts out for the world to see how he ended up on the path that he walks today. A path that no man has walked on before and one that no man will walk again. Charles intentionally looks for the path least taken simply to be able to share an experience and inspire someone to do the same. ‘Choose Your Path’, reminds us that all humans were born with a purpose. That feeling inside that keeps you awake at night should be acknowledge and if reasonable pursued. ‘Choose Your Path’ also reminds us to love ourselves and that trying to be the best that we can be is never a bad mission. This book serves as voice for a generation who realizes that humanity needs a philosophy of love and encouragement in order to sustain and grow. Without it the ideology of every man for himself will spread. History has told that story many times before, try this one. ‘Choose Your Path’ 2015
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Ninety miles of winding two lane coastal highway extends from Carmel to San Simeon, passing through the tiny town of Big Sur. It’s wild; it’s spectacular; and it has its challenges. Narrow lanes, falling rock and soil, and plunging cliffs make for an interesting ride. It’s a drive for second and third gear and your total attention.
CA Route 1 twists and turns through sometimes treacherous passages, amidst relentless seaside beauty.
The twists and turns of Highway1, San Simeon to Big Sur
The northern start of the drive, in Carmel, is highly civilized, with art galleries, restaurants and the famed 17 Mile Drive. But as one heads south, the terrain becomes more rugged and wild.
Rocky, crashing coasts.
Fingers of fog.
Brilliant sun on blue water.
A small A-frame house sits atop a hillside that plunges down to the Pacific alongside Highway 1 in CA
Coastal plants, Big Sur
Should you decide to drive this, check on the road conditions. There is work being done and just last year mud slides closed the highway. Also be sure to fill up your car ahead of time. Gas along the route is $7+ per gallon.
The CA coast, Big Sur
Big Sur has some of the most spectacular coastal views anywhere.
San Simeon
The southern point of the trip is San Simeon, home to Hearst Castle. Built by William Randolph Hurst over a 30 year period, with architect Julia Morgan turned his 250,000 acre ranch into a massive country home with indoor and outdoor pools; tennis courts; and lavish art and furnishings.
Photo Credit: iStock
The indoor pool at Hearst Castle holds 250,000 gallons of water
One of the smaller library rooms at Hearst Castle
Zebras roam the pastures at Hearst Castle in San Simeon
San Simeon beach residents
San Simeon is a small town on the coast at the entry to Hearst Castle. The restaurant here is excellent! Beef from the Hearst Ranch. Fish from the sea. Plus a winery.
While this is a well traveled tourist route, there is a reason to visit. The coast line is beyond spectacular and the touch of history a la William Randolph Hearst makes for a fascinating day’s outing. And then, just south, is the less traveled path through Edna Valley, home to the Pinots and Chardonnays that thrive in this cool coastal climate.
But absolutely no wine on CA Route 1! This route requires your total attention.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
So much is happening with CancerRoadTrip, ranging from donations to new partners! I thought I’d write a brief post so that everyone is in the know!
As you know, we are giving seven people impacted by cancer an amazing luxury healing retreat. And we’re capturing it on film for education and inspiration for all of us.
Why?
Do you know anyone who’s been through cancer who couldn’t use a healing retreat?
You can help spread the word by simply sharing CancerRoadTrip with your social networks. (The buttons are on the left hand side of the page, in orange. Just click and share!)
Everyone knows someone with cancer.
Let’s do something about this!
Tax Deductible Donations
CancerRoadTrip is now able to take tax deductible donations through the fiscal sponsorship of the New Mexico Film Foundation.
For just $1 a month, you can be part of the film! We have created a special section in the film credits for your words to be heard. Leave an inspirational thought for someone fighting cancer; or leave a thought in memory of a loved one.
I hope you’ll consider supporting this project with a monthly donation.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Traveling to heal is a metaphor and an experience. The long days on the road, the twists and turns, the ups and downs all symbolize our path through life and especially life with cancer.
CancerRoadTrip is about more than my journey. It’s about all of us who have had to deal with the impact that cancer has had on our lives. For some of us, it is our own health. But for each of us, there are friends and family and others whose lives are also changed.
This month I am delighted to feature a post by Kristyn Lohoff, author of the blog OurClassCeeLife. Her story is that of a caregiver to her husband.
John died suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving Kristyn in deep grief. But with his death, came an idea.
It was time to travel to heal.
This is her story.
The Lohoff Family: Left to right, Anna, John, Kristyn. In front, Kadrianna, Alicia, and Alena
***
A Cancer Diagnosis
Kristyn and John in their RV
In May 2017, my husband John was diagnosed with stage 4 angiosarcoma, an incurable but treatable aggressive cancer. He had already had cancer 8 years earlier. Testicular cancer. And after three months of chemotherapy he was considered cured. He had already done his “stint” with cancer.
There had to be a mistake. Except there wasn’t.
At first, the chemotherapy treatment went as we expected. But after about a month into treatment, things changed. He developed complications. And then more complications, and still more.
He was hospitalized six different times in four different hospitals, in three different cities in two different states. Most of the time he was hours from our home. I have amazing friends that took my younger girls into their homes and became their short term “mom” so that I could be with John.
One day, as he was nearing discharge, the oncologist came to give us some unexpected news. The chemo had done its job and the lung met had disappeared from the last scan!
She said that John would be discharged in a few days and would take a chemo break for several months. After that, they would repeat the scans and we would determine what the next steps needed to be.
We were so excited! A break! We could make plans to travel!
Ready to travel!
They ordered a routine ultrasound of John’s liver because his bloodwork had been a bit “off” that morning. We smiled, and John seemed to sigh and relax a bit. At one o’clock they took John for his ultrasound, and as always I said, “I love you,” as he was wheeled out of the room. He responded with, “I love you, too,” just as he had always done.
When he arrived at the ultrasound, he was unresponsive. Resuscitation efforts were not successful and he died after 83 days of hospitalization.
I was a widow at the age of 48.
***
It’s Time for a Road Trip
A month after his funeral, I thought about the RV trips we had planned to take. I especially remembered how badly John wanted me to take him to California so that he could see where our oldest daughter lived. He also wanted to see the Pacific Ocean. As teachers, we were able to take extended trips during summer vacations so I began to think. Why not? I should go! I could drive my motorhome to California and bring John’s urn with me… I could take him to those places that he wanted to see!
Time for a road trip!
And then I thought some more. If I was going to travel halfway across the country from my home in Wisconsin, I might as well drive up the coast to Oregon, and see Seattle. We had planned to take a train trip to Seattle the summer he was diagnosed. Of course those plans, like so many others, had been cancelled.
I could take them back!
I could go to the Grand Canyon and take that trip back. We had planned to go there a few years earlier, but as a caregiver for my mother who had Alzheimer’s Disease, I was needed at home so we didn’t go.
Before I knew it, I had created a list of places that I wanted to see, for him, for us, for me. Then I mapped out the trip and did some planning and discovered that I could do the trip, almost completely around the country, in 83 days.
I would take back each of the 83 days that was stolen from him in a hospital bed by doing what we loved most.
83 Days To Heal
My trip was based upon ten places that I deemed were “Must see” stops. Many of them had a connection to food, as both John and I liked to consider ourselves foodies. The trip would become a 13,800 mile adventure which looked like this:
The route for 83 days on a cross country trip
Kansas City to eat the famous burnt ends at Joe’s Bar-B-Que. https://www.joeskc.com
BBQ!
Taylorsville, CA to visit my daughter
The neaby coast
Seattle, WA to eat pho like we had planned.
Seattle for pho
Zion National Park. I had just learned about this park and thought it would be a healing spot.
Zion
The Grand Canyon, where we had planned to go but couldn’t because of my mother’s health.
Overlooking the Grand Canyon
Albuquerque, NM to see the Old Town and eat the local food he had tried while at a conference in that city.
Albuquerque is famous for its balloon fiesta
Philmont Boy Scout Ranch in NM to see where I had been with my father as a young girl (My father died when I was 7).
The route passes by Ghost Ranch
Galveston, TX where we had planned to go for Spring Break before he was diagnosed, but his pain wouldn’t allow him to travel.
To the beach!
Exeter, NH because I had learned that I had relatives that were some of the first families to come from England, and there were historical homes in the town.
The hills of historic New England
Acadia National Park in Maine because we had planned to visit that part as well.
The coast of Maine
John and I loved nature. We loved camping. We loved to travel, and we loved good food.
This trip was planned to take all of that into account and hopefully to also find some healing.
We had lost seven family members in 26 months.
My mother, my father-in-law, a close cousin from cancer, and my husband were four of them. We lived in a forever state of trauma, ready to react to the next event that could come at any moment.
I felt like I had no control over anything in my life anymore, but I COULD control this.
Many people thought I was nuts.
While it’s true that I’ve always been an odd soul, this trip made sense to me.
It would mean that every two to three days I would have to drive several hours and learn to live a completely different lifestyle where my entire life was in a 32 foot motorhome. “What will you do if……..?” People asked me. “Do you have a gun? Bear spray at least? What if you breakdown? What if you get in an accident? What if you get lost?” and on and on.
Time for a road trip!
They worried about me.
The truth was this: the worst possible thing in my life had already happened. I had lost the person I loved the most. The person who was supposed to grow old with me. I lived through the trauma of his diagnosis, his treatment, and his death. I lived through the deaths of six other family members,
I had already lived through the worst possible things. A flat tire didn’t scare me. Besides… I had travel assistance!
Bumps in the Road
The most challenging part of my trip happened very early on. On the first and second day I nearly turned home and gave up any idea of doing the trip. My motorhome wasn’t charging properly, the bikes I had bought weren’t fitting on the bike rake and I had to drive with them inside of the kitchen. Everything seemed too difficult and I thought to myself, who will even know or care if I don’t do this?
And then I thought of John and everything I watched him endure in those 83 days plus in the days at home which were often scary, too. I thought about how he didn’t really have a choice.
Against the backdrop of cancer, the bumps along the road seemed minor.
I started our blog when John was diagnosed. It was supposed to be a way to communicate with family and friends about how he was doing, while also showing how we intended to continue travelling and being in nature whenever possible throughout his treatment.
After he died, I decided to keep the blog and it would become a record of my journey through grief.
I originally planned to write about my 83 day trip as weekly letters to John, telling both the story of that week of his hospitalizations and record what we were doing to take those days back for him. My trip was 12 weeks long, but by the sixth week I found that writing those letters was becoming too emotional for me. I decided to continue posting daily pictures on social media, but stopped writing the letters.
The letters became too difficult to write
Shared Stories Of Angiosarcoma
One of the most amazing parts of my trip was the people I met.
Many of them were connected to the Angiosarcoma Cancer Group I belong to on Facebook.
I made plans to stop and connect with the Physical Therapist John had in the hospital. She had lost her first husband to cancer and we immediately connected when John was receiving treatment.
I met Crystal who lost her infant daughter and has created a program to help others through their grief.
I met with Julie and Jill, both who have angiosarcoma and endure the endless and relentless treatments of the disease.
I met Lori and Dave, both who lost spouses from angiosarcoma and who now are married to each other.
I met Amy, who’s father lost his first and second wife to angiosarcoma, and I met Corrie, a scientist working towards better diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for angiosarcoma, which she is also diagnosed with.
I met dozens of other along the way, who had their own stories of cancer. I told them of my trip and they told me about a sister, or spouse, or parent, or friend who had been lost to cancer or who is going through treatment.
Meeting these people, hearing their stories and sharing my own became surprisingly healing.
When children have cancer, they often have a string of beads that they earn for every procedure they endure. A bead for a blood draw, a different bead for a CT scan, and still a different one for physical therapy or chemo treatment.
A bead for each procedure
The string of beads becomes their visual cancer story, a reminder of everything that they have endured. When John was diagnosed, I started drawing out a string of beads for everything that he endured. The string grew rapidly.
I decided that I would earn beads for getting through difficult times on my trip.
Drive through a mountain pass, earn a bead.
Find a place to fix the camper and replace the batteries, earn a bead.
Drive through Dallas, earn a bead.
Each challenge meant an opportunity to earn another bead
The Healing of Time and Travel
Earning my “beads” helped me to heal. I made it through my 83 day trip without any major difficulties. In fact, the opposite happened. Things “opened up” for me along the way.
Campgrounds that had been full suddenly had an opening when I arrived, restaurants that I wanted to go to were suddenly not crowded at times when they typically would have lines out the door. Tours would only have room for three more – and we were a group of three. And my motorhome “CeeCee” got us around the country without any problems after that second day. I am convinced that John helped make many of these things happen, and the people around me believed it, too!
I began to heal by touching the bones of dinosaurs, visiting my daughter, running on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean. I saw and touched trees that were thousands of years old.
I saw and touched trees that were a thousand years old
I sat by myself with a cup of coffee and my knitting along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
I ate the pho, the chilis, the burnt ends, the Maryland crabs, and the lobster rolls that John and I had talked about having together.
I hiked trails to see waterfalls, hiked through rivers, and hiked to see breathtaking vistas.
There’s something about nature that helps to fill the holes left in our souls, helps to fill the holes made of trauma. One quote that spoke to me while on my trip was this one by John Muir who is considered the father of the National Parks,
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
It was exactly what I was doing….losing myself in nature in order to find myself. My new self. My widowed self.
I think that it’s important to know that cancer affects families, not just individuals.
Often, we think that when family members continue doing things that they typically do, things like going to a movie, working, participating in girl/boy scouts, when we see them doing normal routine things we think that everything is ok.
In reality, every day is filled with fear.
Things change so quickly and a moment of contentment now could become a trip to the hospital in only a few hours. Families with cancer live on edge, always prepared to react to a crisis at a moment’s notice. People want to help, and they offer meals, they may bring coffee, they may offer to take children for an afternoon to give adults some time alone. All of these things are helpful and much appreciated.
Finding time to get away, to find a quiet spot and to just sit and feel the sun on your face, whether it be 10 minutes from your home or 10,000 miles away, offers a moment of healing. What people also need, I feel, is someone to just let them talk and listen. Not to offer suggestions or answers to problems. Just to sit and listen… and to share their sorrow.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
This post was originally written as I was about to take off on CancerRoadTrip. But for some reason, it didn’t come over when we redid the website in late 2018. So I thought I’d share it again. It’s interesting to see my outlook here, in June 2017, as I prepare to leave all I know behind. And then to read the adventure as it unfolds.
What is a travel minimalist? You can only carry so much! And now that I’m in the final stages of packing, the ability to let go is flowing with more ease.
The most remarkable aspect of this is the freedom I am feeling. Here are some of the unintended consequences that are defining the start of this journey.
Travel Minimalist Reason #1: Hasta La Vista
Travel Minimalist Reason #1: Hasta La Vista
“Hasta la vista, baby.”
After a wet winter, cheat grass is everywhere. Dandelions are popping up in lieu of lawn. The kale in my garden is already bolting. The good neighbor fence isn’t looking so good.
I want to leave the house looking good for the new owners, but frankly, this is partly why I’m moving on. I simply don’t want to weed, cut or clip anymore. I don’t want to paint, caulk or fuss. I want to walk the beach, swim with the Galapagos turtles and enjoy the Australian Open. Hasta la vista!
Travel Minimalist Reason #2: Say Goodby to Insurance, Utility and Property Taxes
Travel Minimalist Reason #2: Say Goodby to Insurance, Utility and Property Taxes
“…but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
-Benjamin Franklin
Every year my taxes increase with no added benefit; utilities never seem to go down; and insurance never comes through when you need it. Remind me why I signed up for this life? Travel minimalist means less overhead gives me more time and more financial freedom.
Travel Minimalist Reason #3: Tempus Fugit
Travel Minimalist Reason #3: Tempus Fugit
“Seize the day, then let it go.” -Marty Rubin
Living one moment at a time brings richness to life. As I get older, time seems to move ever faster. And as I rush into the unknown, as time counts down, the precious quality of the moment becomes everything.
Travel Minimalist Reason #4: Freedom
Travel Minimalist Reason #4: Freedom
“Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose and commit yourself to what is best for you.”
– Paulo Coelho
Freedom comes in many forms.
There can be freedom from routine. Freedom from possessions. Freedom from dogma.
Freedom from competition was an eye opener for me. I found it fascinating that a part of me rejoiced from not being able to play competitive tennis anymore. I was actually tired of the need to compete and be measured, socially and athletically.
Both David Servan-Screiber, MD PhD and Paul Klanithi, MD commented on the painful freedom that resulted from dropping through the so called real world into cancer land. Both had to leave the social amour and status of their physician-white-coats in the waiting room, and face their diagnosis as a person and a patient, not a doctor. (See #CancerBookClub for more on this.) This unsought freedom offered both men new perspectives on their lives and on medicine.
“…through my illness, I regained a certain freedom. The obligations that had weighed me down…were swept away.” -Paul Klanithi, MD
With cancer, your standards are forced to change. The fluff falls away. What remains is so little, but so meaningful. And in this there is such great freedom.
Travel Minimalist Reason #5: Lightness of Being
Travel Minimalist Reason #5: Lightness of Being
“When the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object.”
-Milan Kundera
As the emotional and physical clutter falls away there is an amazing lightness of being. Soulfulness comes from the heart, and a life less cluttered lets your heart shine more.
Travel Minimalist Reason #6: Curiosity
Travel Minimalist Reason #6: Curiosity
“Curiosity is the one thing invincible in Nature.”
– Freya Stark
Unencumbered by to do lists and tasks, my curiosity comes to the forefront, to see the world with the eyes of a beginner. With fresh eyes and an open heart, new paths lead to wonder and discovery.
Moments of emotion and memory trump material goods. I am a collector of maps and various other things. Each material object is tied to an event or an experience. Yet the experience resides in me, not in the object. With my maps and whatnot in storage, it is only the moments that stay with me that truly matter. Do the moments outnumber the things?
We live in a world where the constant barrage of media and ads scream for attention, across multiple devices, 24/7. It’s terrifyingly easy to get caught up in the staccatos of society, to let the madness of crowds sway your path. Stop and listen to your heart, to your soul. What most matters to you? What energy do you choose to collect and carry?
Travel Minimalist Reason #9: Strength Comes In Many Forms
Travel Minimalist Reason #9: Strength Comes In Many Forms
“Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.”
-Ann Landers
Leaning out my life, I no longer need to carry what does not suit me, practically and psychologically. It’s an iterative process, discovering this, letting go of that. This next phase of my life, I will be traveling lighter, and, I can only hope, perhaps wiser, as I cast the past to the wind.
Travel Minimalist Reason #10: Simplicity
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” -Clare Boothe Luce
Travel Minimalist Reason #11: Friends
Travel Minimalist Reason #11: Friends
“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill
Friends come and friends go. A few stay the course. And a few new ones walk along side, for as long as they do. One of the most interesting facets of cancer, blogging and social media is that I have formed a global network of people who “get it”. I am deeply grateful for these souls in my life. May we stay the course together.
Travel Minimalist Reason #12: Life
Travel Minimalist Reason #12: Life
“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, and go to the grave with the song still in them.”-Henry David Thoreau
We’ve all been there. The dullness of routine, of duty, of necessity kills our soul, a day at a time. Habit and expectation guide our lives.
Is this life?
We need to see our worlds differently to choose differently. Our time is limited. What do we choose?
Travel Minimalist Reason #13: Joy
Travel Minimalist Reason #13: Joy
Dance Lightly With Life:
Today is your day to
dance lightly with life,
sing wild songs of adventure,
soar your spirit,
unfurl your joy.
-Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Travel Minimalist Reason #14: Stuff
Travel Minimalist Reason #14: Stuff
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”
-Michael Michalko
Do I need one more pair of shorts? More than one pair of black slacks? An extra pair of yoga pants when leggings will do? Packing forces one to pare down and reconsider what is really necessary. What brings you joy? The simplicity that results from these choices is incredibly liberating.
Travel Minimalist Reason #15: Organization
Travel Minimalist Reason #15: Organization
“The way to find a needle in a haystack is to sit down.”
-Beryl Markham, West with the Night
I’ve been forced to stop and get very organized. Everything from how my power cords get stored to electronic integration between phones, watches, computers and cameras. There is no room for useless duplication. Everything must have a purpose. And the only way to do this is to slow down, and one by one, do what has to be done.
Travel Minimalist Reason #16: Possessions and Permanency
Travel Minimalist Reason #16: Possessions and Permanency
“If everything I possessed, vanished, suddenly, I’d be sorry.
But I value things unpossessed.
The wind, and trees, and sky and kind thoughts, much more.”
-Dorothy Hartley
When I finished packing my books, I faced an empty bookcase and stacks of cardboard boxes. Are a stack of nondescript cardboard boxes the sum of my reading life? Can a dish pack of carefully collected plates share the stories of the dinners they hosted? And all the handbags and shoes in stacks of boxes. Will they even walk with me again?
It’s interesting that we have greater longevity and reach through our electronic existence than through the physical things we acquire. At some point, the possessions that have defined so much of my life will be scattered like dust in the wind. But the experiences shared in this blog might just live on.
Travel Minimalist Reason #17: Soulful Resonance
ravel Minimalist Reason #17: Soulful Resonance
Find a place inside where there’s joy,
and the joy will burn out the pain.
– Joseph Campbell
Everywhere I go, I share the story of #CancerRoadTrip. And it resonates with people. Every one of us has thought of just chucking it all and walking off. Everyone of us has encountered events that set our lives on a different course. Every one of us wonders about the choices we make and the life that results. And every one of us has been touched by cancer.
Being forced to look at my own mortality; to think about what I want to do with the time I have left; being forced from my home only to find a different path–these are all choices and events that resonate with my soul. I am immensely grateful for this aspect of #CancerRoadTrip.
Inspiration, joy & discovery through travel. Oh, did I mention with supposedly incurable cancer?
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Thank you for stopping by!
CancerRoadTrip is about making lemonade out of lemons.
As you read my story, you may want to start at the beginning to "grok" how CancerRoadTrip came to be. You can click here to start at the end (which is actually the beginning) and read forward! The posts are chronological, with the most recent posts appearing on the front page.
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