In the face of a global pandemic...

Has shit hit the fan?  It seems the answer is yes.  Universities across the US are cancelling face-to-face classes and instead offering remote sessions during class time.  School districts are cancelling school for the foreseeable future.  Remote work options are being rolled out across America.  All social gatherings, sport events, concerts and other cultural events are cancelled.  There is no toilet paper available for purchase. The economy is failing, people are losing jobs.  There has never been a more clear sign that our current systems are broken and it is apparent to me that neither Republican or Democratic leadership are up for radically and fundamentally reshaping our system.  The power is, and always has been, in our hands.  

For us the answer is clear - proceed with the plans to develop Rancho Status Quo.  The convergence of events is spectacular - almost spiritual or serendipitous - in their occurrence.  Husband quit his job over a month ago, I will be teaching online, kids' enrichment program is cancelled, a CD came due last week, our annual rent in Mesa is due April 1st and we can, in this very moment, decide to walk (or drive) away to head in a new direction.  I suppose you see where this is going...we are ready to leave the city and embark on the greatest adventure - forging our own path - creating our own place.  While many people are feeling overwhelmed, scared, stressed at forces beyond their control - I feel that I have been waiting for this moment to finish plans we set in motion over 20 years ago.  

It's scary, yes, but it is exciting and there is no better time to be a full-time RV family.  While our federal government considers domestic travel bans, we flee to the one constant we have enjoyed these many years.  This past year we have made a lot of progress and we are very near having a self-sufficient homestead/base of operations.  The future for many is uncertain - but over the next couple of weeks we will position ourselves for a move.  We will be able to spend nearly six months devoted to Rancho Status Quo.

It is time we stop lending our energy and voices to propping up systems that do not serve us.  We will begin creating new systems that are sustainable and work in harmony with the natural world.  Our lives and our natural world are out of balance - it is time to relearn what our ancestors knew - we are part of the web of life, not master over it.