‘Living Without Reservations’ is her book. It’s also how she now lives her life. It wasn’t always that way.
They made it – a place called Alaska!
Ten years ago, Barbara Elaine Singer was a corporate exec, loving mom and dutiful wife. With a beautiful home, impressive new car, designer clothes and jewelry-filled drawer, Barbara had the life of her dreams.
Then unexpectedly one night (it’s a “wow” in her book), something occurred and everything changed. A job that no longer fit. Days without meaning. Dreams unfulfilled. What all seemed so right was now empty and wrong.
Feeling lost and so low, she picked up the phone. “Hello,” said her dad. “Dad, please, can I borrow the RV? I need to escape. I need time alone; things are really bad.”
“No.” Could this be right, a dad who said no? But these words she next heard. “No,” 70 year-old Clarence repeated, “unless you take me to Alaska. When do we leave?”
My friend, Barbara takes it from here:
“Three days later, we started on a six-week, 15,000 mile road trip. I was a kid when we took our last trip. But it was like no time had passed at all. So off we went, without a real plan, other than seeing the beauty of nature and a place called Alaska.
To understand what I learned during that journey, you should know Dad:
He grew up one of 16 children in rural Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, home of the Amish. We weren’t Amish, but lived almost the same.
Dad went to a one-room schoolhouse. He had to quit after the 6th grade. His family needed the kids to work… to survive.
My father had strong, community-based values. He never seemed to waver. He thought he knew ‘right.’ Dad simply stuck to what those around him believed as his beliefs, too.
So what did I learn on that trip? At 70, my father looked back with regret.
Information. Technology. Adventure. His family and friends weren’t interested, so neither was he. The world, along with his life, had too quickly passed by.
My dad had accepted the way others lived as the way he should live, too.
In reflecting back, that no longer seemed right.
I was determined not to look back with regret.
I would do and see all.
My dad lit a fire under my seat. I was going to experience the world.
The ‘normal’ life of those around me would not set the course of mine.”
A few years ago, with no money or plan, Barbara made a gutsy move. Inspired by Dad, she sold all and cut loose. She now wakes each morning at a vineyard in Tuscany.
Traveling the globe with her chef and fine wines, my adventurous friend will be back tomorrow to tell how.