When Dreams Meet Reality

So my last post was about my new obsession: #vanlife. This post is about the practical problems that impede me from such a life.

First off, I’m married to someone who has no interest in #vanlife and is decidedly NOT a minimalist in any way, shape, or form. She watches the Kardashians, is an Instagram addict and avid follower of people whose job appears to be “travel model”, and recently asked for a $3,500 Chanel purse as a future birthday gift. My life with her would be constant work until I keel over dead, few of my own dreams realized.

There is also the issue of our kids, both still very young. They are the apple of my eye, but they are also the reason #vanlife will probably forever be out of reach for me. The fact is, my wife, if we were to split, would never consent to a split custody arrangement which involved me living in a van with them during my weeks of custody. Nor would divorce court smile on this arrangement. The end result, if I chose #vanlife, “damn the torpedoes” style, would be losing even split custody of my kids. I’d become a stranger to them and them to me. Thus #vanlife is an unacceptable choice for me. Maybe after they’ve grown and can decide for themselves where they want to go.

So what’s the alternative? Well, it’s a poor cousin in my eyes, but #rvlife is really the only alternative. This means a lot of things, but most prominently, it means I will have to keep some kind of “real job” so that I can A) Buy an RV and B) Pay RV park rent. Instead of living all year on the road, I’d be limited to summer travel and school vacation periods for travel. Which is not ideal, of course, but such is life. It will never quite match your dreams because dreams are unrealistic. That’s why they’re dreams! Reality will always look different and that’s ok. #RVlife is not #vanlife, but it’s better to have half-a-loaf than no bread at all.