I used to dream about the Semester at Sea programs.

I thought that would be the way to go. Life, stripped down to its essentials; living aboard a ship and learning as you went. Of course, the fact that it was for college students and I was in my late thirties when I first heard of it, and the rather steep cost…well…that pretty much kept it in the ‘not going to happen in this particular lifetime‘ category.

But, as I’m busy making lists of all that needs to be considered before we head out in our little trailer and set ourselves adrift from a home address, I’ve found myself thinking about it again.

Mostly, I have found myself especially distressed at the thought of closing up my studio. I feel like I’ve finally found a groove with my art and the lovely mess I get to create (and walk away from) whenever I want.

As I’ve been mulling this over, it occurred to me…what if I just consider my life as a series of semesters?

I mean seriously…that’s sort of what happens anyway. Every time I think I’m going one way, something pops up that needs my attention and I’m off in another direction. So why fight City Hall? Why not just embrace the inevitable chunking nature of time?

This thought has provided a ridiculous amount of comfort to me.  I am not leaving my studio forever. I am merely closing this space up, taking a sabbatical, and when we’re back from our semester of camping/trailer life, we’ll move to a rental house on the Sunshine Coast for a few months. There, I will find a new studio space and spend a glorious few months once again making a mess.

Besides, my studio is in a building that is soon to be demolished for the new MEC store. Soon, it wouldn’t have been my choice about packing it up.

A recent encounter in Mexico has given me further inspiration. One day, when we were hanging out in Puerto Escondido, we had the privilege of sitting next to this young man.

As you can see, this guy embodied the concept of chilling. He was, without a doubt, the coolest and calmest kid I’ve ever seen. He was completely content with just hanging out. His bigger sister was to-ing and fro-ing, his parents frolicked in the nearby waves, other relatives were busy with food and other fun, but our little amigo…he just played it cool.

Whenever I think I need to plan too much for this next little while, I think of that little Mexican dude and tell myself to take a page from his book: Relax.

And though it is best to just embrace the whole mess and chill, I have still made a rough outline of our plans for our upcoming year, because, well…I still like to pretend I have some control over how things go.

Besides, all of these plans are subject to change.

But then. You already knew that.