I got on the bus

byKarin13

5.5K followers

5 months ago

I did something totally new and unexpected for me. I got on a bus and moved to Indiana after having lived most of my entire life in Minnesota!

Getting on the bus has become a metaphor for change for me.

Let me explain...

This was my third time of trying to get on the bus. The first time I had the ticket and had set the time myself which normally would have been okay, except that I didn't communicate it to anyone. It became real evident, real fast that was not going to work.

I am not very good at communicating, it seems, because for whatever reasons buried deep in my psyche, I have kept a tight grip on what I share even with those closest to me.

Within that same time frame, I also got another ticket but I got to the bus station and the bus was over two hours late. I left before the bus arrived because I had been told that I would have to wait at the bus station for the next bus then because the bus would not wait for me and the others.

Two times I had failed to get on the bus!

Two Strikes and You're Out

I thought I was done with my plans to move to Indiana to help my friend with her business. I had broken her heart and her belief in people. For goodness sake, I had broken my own heart and my own belief in myself.

I scrambled. I pleaded. I hoped and I prayed but nothing seemed to be working.

It seemed as though it was two strikes and I was out...

Third Time is a Charm

I had to prove to myself that I could do this. I had to prove to my friend that I could be trustworthy.

But when a person is basically afraid of everything, it is hard to prove anything to anyone—even to oneself.

When the time seemed right...not even a week later, I was purchasing my third ticket. This one had to work because I was running out of money!

I had spent over $500 on the bus tickets and I was quickly running through my money!

So I bought the ticket and decided I would be boarding the bus on a Saturday and arriving in Indiana on Sunday, I knew I had to act fast! I repacked my bags which had actually still been packed since the week before because I hadn't unpacked them.

I quickly put some feelers out for a way to get a ride to the neighboring city where the Greyhound bus stop was located. I ended up having to pay $50 for a ride to the bus stop. But it was well worth it because my dear granddaughter was able to see me off on my adventure.

I sold my baseball card collection. I sold some essential oils. I sold as much stuff as I quickly could so that I would have some money with me. I think I raised about $1200.

Finally, I got on the bus

Yes, I was on time for the bus. Yes, the bus arrived when it was supposed to and Yes, I got on the bus. Finally.

Was I scared? Oh yeah. I fluctuated in my thoughts from, "This is the best decision I am making," to "I am making the biggest mistake of my life."

But, I was making a decision and I was following it through.

I have been here about a week now. It is a learning curve and I still have a ton of growth that I need to do, but I am each day getting better. Each day I am taking a risk that I wouldn't have done the day before.

My friend and I have begun working out and walking more and more. We are getting our bodies ready for adventure and travel and the challenges that will come with traveling in other countries as that is the plan.

I need to prove a steady, regular income per month, but there are some other things I can do to travel, so I am exploring those things with as much focus as possible.

I am open to suggestions as I have never done anything like this before. I have applied for my passport and am anxiously awaiting its arrival!

I am on a big adventure and it began with being brave enough to get on the bus!

Have an adventurous life!

Karin