Good Grief

by Kay Arnold
(Deming NM)

You make it sound like we are all so fragile emotionally, are we? Really? We can't be away from family and friends without feeling sad, bad or worse! If your travel partner is a pain in backside before hitting the road they are going to be a bigger pain in the backside in a smaller space and traveling. Sort it out before you pack.

I find that some people complain and snivel, yes snivel, to get attention or to be controlling not that they really care about the alleged problem. Sometimes the so called problem is a "Red Herring" to get whatever it is they want.

I am sure there are some people who are so weak that they cannot do without daily or more frequent contact with friends and relatives. Those folks should never leave where they are for any reason. Usually they already know that and don't leave unless forced to by serious circumstances.

Then there are the rest of us; solid, reliable, self sufficient, adventurous, gregarious and optimistic - who travel by any means possible to anywhere we can afford to go and have a wonderful time and spread a little sunshine where ever we are. We don't pay attention to or rely on mental health professionals for advice in how to conduct ourselves. We can figure it out without their help. I am hopeful that there are more of us than of the former or this would be a sorry society indeed.

Comments for Good Grief

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Jun 01, 2015

People, please be informed
by: Anonymous

OMG You people are ignorant of the emotional challenges that very well do face us when we are out there on our own. It's people like you who prevent us from communicating and writing about emotional challenges, because we are afraid of being laughed at and looked down upon. People have different needs and personalities, just like there are big slobbering golden retrievers who love to jump up on people, there are also little lap dogs like the Maltese and Poodle (lapdogs) who require special comfort and care. The people above who suggested that if you are not the golden retriever personality type, you shouldnt go rv-ing are ignorant that there are different personalities in the world.

Mar 25, 2013

Response to Good Grief
by: Anonymous

Ms. Arnold you sound very smug and insulting to those of us who do have strong attachments to our family and friends. That doesn't mean that we aren't suited for traveling - it means that we need to be aware of it and not be blindsided once we're out on the road. To perhaps take a few trial trips and make sure it's the life we thought we wanted.

And there is nothing wrong with consulting with a mental health professional when the need arises. You belittle those who have had the wisdom to realize they need help, and to ask for it.

I'm happy you are so perfect and well adjusted. The rest of us - whether majority or not - really appreciated the article as written and appreciate her effort to touch on every aspect of RV living full time.

Mar 14, 2013

Hip Hip and HOORAY!
by: Janet G

You hit the nail on the head. As I read the emotional problem subject and so called 'warnings' that some might encounter, I have to say a rip roaring HOOEY to all that. Amen to your comment that if this person who shall be called a future newbie RV'r is that much of a "weenie" then they should pitch the idea out the window and HUNKER DOWN into their own safe harbor and forget the idea altogether!

Sheesh! I hope, like you, that there are more like US than these other aforementioned folks and I'm probably pretty much guaranteed this to be true.

Thanks for your post! Happy trails!!!

Apr 07, 2012

My Wife and I are of the Self Sufficient Type Too...
by: Thom

When I read the original post and then re-read sections to my wife she was cracking up (as I had done). We are in our early 50's and live full time in a beautiful and cozy 38ft RV.

What was funny to us both is that on nearly every bullet or section heading we were nearly the opposite. . .

* We are each others best friend (and actually, really? only true friend)

* For ~30 years of marriage we are rarely more than an arm's length away from each other.

* We can have "quiet time" sitting at the same table and plenty of "emotional space".

* We each have "our" hobby, but participate in each other's.

* Family members are seen (maybe) once in two years. And our two kids are both in the US Air Force and we (might) be blessed in seeing them once every two also. This is normal for us and actually, we really, really enjoy it! When we do get together they are full of catch up stories and fantastic times/memories!

* We don't do the typical Hallmark Greeting card holidays (or any of them, and no it was not religious in nature, we just got tired of western materialism around certain festivals/holidays so we rebelled and just said NO to all of them!)

* Our only "House" has wheels so it and goes where we do.

* Making friends? We are happy hermits, though if there is a gathering we are cordial and make friends for the occasion easily.

* Boredom. LOL. We live and travel mostly in the Pacific Northwest, it rains ~100 inches in our area of the coast. We amuse ourselves in spite of being cooped up nearly 9 months of the year, and the other three in poncho and galoshes ;)

Anywhoo, we are all different. And the happy-hermit lifestyle my wife and I thrive on is not for many out there, but it is for us. We actually would not know what to do with ourselves if we were expected to be at social gatherings on the weekends or week nights.

Happy Trails

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