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Like naming a baby, when it came time to give this website a name, I gave it thoughtful consideration. I settled on Midwest Gypsy because of my roots (St. Louis) and because of the seemingly nomadic existence I’ve had since leaving my hometown thirty-five years ago. The English poet William Cowper coined the phrase, “Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor,” and I believe that with all my heart. A boring and ordinary existence should be no one’s lot. Indeed, everything we’ve ever wanted is just one step beyond our comfort zone.

​As daunting as the unknown might be, complete immersion is the one true way to discovery. So many people are in situations that they despise and would prefer not be in—whether it is a relationship that’s not working, a job that is going nowhere, a lifestyle that is unaffordable, and the list goes on. But, because the thought of changing the situation is so uncomfortable, the choice is often made to just stay put. That is “being stuck.”

​Imagine a swimming pool. The perception that the water is too cold makes many people just want to dip in a toe or two, and from that trivial experience, the decision to go swimming–or not–is made. Or, a person might get into the pool at the shallow end and, ever so tentatively, venture in little by little, shivering the whole time and being miserable. But a child doesn’t do that. A child is not usually all that concerned about the temperature of the water…all he knows is the FUN that will be had once he gets in, and he jumps or dives in unabashedly. Even if the water seems freezing, the shock is over in an instant and, just as quickly, the real fun begins!

​I remember getting my first tattoo. It was completely out of character for me; at least, it was in 1979. I was twenty-five years old and lived on a sailboat in Key West, a lifestyle completely different from the middle-class, Catholic background in which I’d been raised. Like the main character of the novella, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, I’d become bored with meaningless materialism and conformity to the way life was ‘supposed to be.’ The tattoo (a seagull, of course) symbolized my rebellion, and when I exposed it for the first time to my stunned mother, I felt truly liberated from both the real and imagined ties that bound me. I was not only surviving an unconventional lifestyle; I was thriving in it!

​Fear of the unknown stops many people from experiencing what Life has to offer, which is a real tragedy. When the economy went south a few years ago, negatively affecting the nest egg which my newly-retired husband and I depended on, we had to reassess our retirement. Neither of us had the willingness to be shackled to a corporation again with those golden handcuffs, but generating income was a necessity. Independence, gleaned from years of living on a boat and then in an RV, was the main component we looked for in a job. So we decided to get our commercial driver licenses (CDL).

​I stand about five feet tall and weigh roughly one hundred pounds, so the image of me driving an 18-wheeler is rather hilarious. But I’ve proved that I can do it, nonetheless, AND parallel-park one if I absolutely had to. Was learning to drive this behemoth of a machine scary and intimidating? Very much so! Was I afraid of grinding and stripping all ten gears as I shifted? You bet. Did I gain confidence as a result? Absolutely. The thrill of passing the CDL driving test was one of the most exhilarating feelings I’ve ever had, and I’ve never considered going to truck driving school a waste of time or money. In fact, the experience has given me so much fodder to write about, not to mention the fact that my vocabulary, particularly of four-letter words, has grown exponentially.

Having a “c’est la vie” attitude has inspired me to try just about anything once–and sometimes twice! Most recently: oil pulling, an age-old Ayurveda process, in an effort to live more healthfully. We only have one chance to live Our Life, so think about taking a step outside your comfort zone. Believe me. You won’t regret it.

“You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way”.”
― Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

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