How do we begin to express just what this journey, this new lifestyle of living on the road in our RV, means to us? We are filled with an incredible feeling of anticipation and excitement. Our launch day, January 4, 1998, is fast approaching. It feels as if we are on the verge of opening a new door that leads to our destiny. There is a sense of profound knowing (without a doubt) that this is what we are meant to do in the next season of our lives. How can we describe that feeling, that sense of being called, so that others will really understand? I will just write from my heart, and hope all of you who read this will truly understand…
You might be wondering, "Why are you embarking on this seemingly ‘rootless’ lifestyle?" Its source is a yearning that we believe God planted in our hearts a long time ago—a yearning to see more of the wonder and the beauty of this country. At first it was only the seed of a dream to someday spend much more time experiencing the majestic mountains, the flowing streams, the peaceful lakes, the verdant forests and the sparkling oceans of our land. You see, Tom and I both feel so filled up, so replenished really, by nature that we knew we wanted to see and experience more of it. We’d buy the beautiful nature and travel photography books, and the pictures would warm our hearts and fuel the desire to see it all. Our vacations were always too brief and left us wanting more...much more. For many years this dream lived in the land of "Someday Isle (I’ll)", but in 1989 two things happened that reminded us once again that there is no guarantee that ‘someday’ will ever arrive.
In January that year, a co-worker of Tom’s was killed on the job—it could just have easily have been him. Then, on a dark and windy February night, Tom stopped at the side of the road as a Good Samaritan to help at the scene of a car accident. One moment he was standing an arms-length away from a young man, shouting above the wind about how to move the damaged car out of the traffic lane, when a semi and a pickup came side-by-side up the icy freeway. In the next moment, the body of the young man flew through the air, his smashed car catapulted into the median, and Tom stood there alone with the wind howling by him.
After those two vivid reminders of mortality, Tom and I decided to take this ‘life dream’ of traveling the U.S. and turn it into reality—and not to wait for the retirement that might never come. We originally envisioned it to be a one-year trip around the country in some sort of recreational vehicle. Based on the ages of our kids, we targeted 1998 (after they would all be grown and, hopefully, independent) as the year for this adventure. Little did we know how the dream would grow…
For the next few years, the dream simmered on the back burners of our lives. We realized that unless we won the lottery, chances were good we’d have to find a way to make a living while we were on the road to fund this trip. We didn’t have a clue how we might do that, but we planted the questions and prayed for the answers to arrive. Over time I started my own business, and I moved it from being primarily consulting to being a mix of professional training and speaking—a somewhat portable career. The pieces began to fall into place.
In 1995 we turned up the heat. By then the year 1998, which had seemed so far removed when we first set that as our target, was visible on the horizon. We realized that a lot of research still needed to be done on RVing—what type of rig would be best, how much would the rig cost (and how would we pay for it), what were the perils and pitfalls, where should we go, etc. Over the next year, as we re-examined the dream and talked more about what our real purposes were, several things became clear. First, unless we wanted to spend all our time seeing the US primarily through our windshield (which we definitely did NOT want to do), it would take us much more than a year to see and experience all that we desired at an unhurried pace. Second, if we were to do this for more than a year, we would need to change our plans from an extended vacation or sabbatical to a whole new lifestyle.
Have you ever noticed how some dreams can take root in your heart and just grow and grow? Well, that’s what ours did. The more we talked about our purpose for this journey, the more we realized that it was far beyond just seeing the natural beauty of this country—that it was also about being called to make a positive difference in the world. We didn’t have any concrete idea how that might happen, but we knew that making a difference would be a key component on our journey…a journey that would now probably last for many years.
My portable career was mostly in place, but Tom’s was still to be created. As Tom thought about what kind of new career he could take on the road, the light bulb of inspiration finally clicked on. He decided to combine his passion for nature with his interest in photography (evidenced by the 15-20 rolls of film he’d shoot on a typical vacation) and pursue a career as a nature/scenic photographer. And so, ImagiNature Photography was born. Tom has been reading, taking classes, going to workshops, purchasing his professional equipment and developing his skills. Through his photography Tom hopes to share the wonder and beauty of the natural world with others. He intends to concentrate especially on waterfalls. Eventually, we hope to produce one or more books featuring his work.
As I prayed and asked for guidance about what God wanted me to do to make a difference in the world as we travel, a very clear answer came, "Be a Johnny Appleseed." "Johnny Appleseed?" I thought. "I haven’t thought about him since I was in grade school. Why a Johnny Appleseed?" As I pondered the image in my mind, I recalled how Johnny Appleseed had planted seeds along the way and then moved on. He didn’t necessarily stay to tend and nurture the plants as they grew. He planted them and then trusted that the seeds would grow and bear fruit…fruit for others to harvest. I liked that image a lot. Then I asked, "What seeds am I to plant?" The answer came, "Plant seeds of ideas and possibilities, and water them with hope." (I shouldn’t have been surprised that God would know my favorite kind of gardening…gardening of the heart and soul.)
Over time, as I prayed for more clarity and guidance, the answers seemed to follow a theme of apples and Johnny Appleseed. All of a sudden, I would find other references to Johnny Appleseed—in magazines, newspapers, and even movies. One weekend I had been praying for more clarity or insight about what seeds I am to plant. Well, that evening there was nothing on TV that appealed to me, so I decided to pop an old movie in the VCR—Oh, God! starring John Denver and George Burns. Little did I suspect there would be a message for me…At the close of the movie there is a final scene between God (George Burns) and Jerry Landers (John Denver). It takes place after the courtroom scene where God has been on the witness stand, then became invisible and walked out leaving everyone to wonder if He had really been there. God and Jerry are having their final conversation in the park just before the movie ends.
From the movie, "Oh, God!":
Jerry Landers: Do you think anybody got the message?
God: Do you think we have enough apples in the world?
Jerry Landers: Apples?
God: We’ve got all the apples we need. You’re Johnny Appleseed. You drop a few seeds, then you move on. If the seeds are good, they’ll take root. I gave you great seeds—the best.
My answer was there. I don’t have to worry about the seeds—God will give them to me. All I have to do is plant them.
Whenever we have asked for guidance and signs along the way, they have always come. The most powerful sign of all occurred when we discovered a custom builder of 5th wheel travel trailers in Junction City, KS. We asked for a sign if this was the right place to buy our new ‘home’ from. Ask and ye shall receive, right? Well, we got a phenomenal sign that left no room for doubt that these were the people who were meant to build our new home, but that’s a story for another time…
In July 1997 I was at the National Speakers Association Convention, and before going down to the Sunday morning church service, I sent up a little prayer asking God for a reconfirmation if our intent and direction were still on the right track for our upcoming journey. The answer came during the sermon. I don’t even remember what the rest of the sermon was about. It certainly wasn’t about apples or planting seeds, but for some reason the pastor shared this thought: "You can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the number of apples in a seed." There was a reaffirmation and a message once more.
Some people have asked, "Why do you think you are getting all these messages and signs? Are you ‘holy’ or special in some way?" No, I don’t think we’re any more holy or special than any of the rest of you—we are all God’s special children with important work to do in this world—with a purpose we are meant to fulfill. I think the reason we get answers is because I’ve learned how to ask more clearly and frequently for guidance. And I’m learning how to listen for and recognize the answers when they come. This guidance is available to all who sincerely ask and listen. One change that I have made in my life that I think has made a difference is that every day I say a prayer to open to divine guidance: "Lord, open my eyes so I will truly see, my ears so I will truly hear, my heart so I will truly feel, and my mouth so I will truly speak in accordance with your truth, your will and your love. And may it all be for my highest good and highest good of all people everywhere."
It’s important to me that you understand that I’m not telling you all this as a way to say "Look at me. See how special I am." I’m sharing this with you in hopes that you will understand that what is calling to us and guiding us is also calling to you and offering you guidance, too, as you go on your own special journey of the heart. Every path is special. Every purpose is important. Every heart is connected.
There is a wonderful poem about the original Johnny Appleseed, which expresses a lot of what it is that we want to do, in a figurative way, as we travel across this land. Here it is…
He said that each good orchard grown
Would bear fruit as God planned,
And give the yearning pioneers
A taste of Promised Land.
…
And where he walked she heard he gave
His blessing, softly thrown:
The scattered seeds among the weeds;
The sweet fruit wisely grown.
…
"To grow a country or a tree
Takes just a planter who
Will seed and tend till in the end
The earth’s best dreams come true."
…
As I have continued to ponder what difference it is that I want to make in the world, I know that I want to spend my energy on promoting the positive in life, for I believe that what we dwell upon in our hearts and minds expands in our world. I want to disengage from the conflict, from the violence in the media, from the separation we often feel, and to replace those things with feelings of unity and love. I want to securely plant the seeds of hope for the future, faith in humanity, and awareness of the continuous threads of the heart…each one bound to the next. I want to do this both with the individuals I meet, and through the groups I am led to speak with along this journey of the heart. And, God willing, the seeds will take root and bear fruit until "The earth’s best dreams come true."
All dreams have a practical side, too. So regarding the physical preparations, we picked up our flame-red 1-ton Dodge truck on March 3, 1997. It’s a 4x4, with an extended cab, full box, dual wheels, and a Cummins Turbo Diesel engine. We named it "Big Red." April 14, 1997 we picked up our new home—a New Horizons 31-ft. 5th wheel travel trailer with two slide-outs and lots of custom features. We named it, appropriately, "The A.P.P.L.E." which stands for Adventurous People’s Portable Living Environment. We’ve done a few pilot trips with Big Red and The APPLE, and we’re anxious to begin our adventure.
As this year rushes to a close, we have a sense of this being a time similar to high school commencement. It is a time of endings and a time of exciting new beginnings. We hope that the lessons of our lives so far have prepared us well for the lessons that are to come. As we walk into a future full of adventure, risk and discovery, we hope that you will go with us in spirit. We invite your prayers, ideas, stories, letters, names of contacts in other parts of the country or any other contribution you would care to offer. Our email address is kseliskar@aol.com. We intend to record our journey—our thoughts and experiences, the stories of new friends and adventures along the way. Would you like to be included on our mailing (or e-mailing) list? Just let us know, and we will be happy to continue to update you as we continue on our journey of the heart.
God Bless you all.
Kay & Tom Seliskar
Q: Are you getting rid of your house?
A: After a year of having our son and his girlfriend tend the house for us, we did indeed sell the old homestead. What a relief to be rid of all that stuff!
Q: How will you get mail?
A: We now use the Escapees mail service in Texas. All our mail goes there and they hold it until we call them. Then they send it to us priority mail, usually to us c/o General Delivery in a small town near where we're camped.
Q: How will you stay in touch?
A: We have cell phone with us that has voice mail when we aren't reachable. We update our outgoing message on our voice mail when we’re leaving an area and heading for another. In addition, we have intermittent email access.
Q: Will you still be running your business somehow?
A: My main client, American Express, is interested in continuing to have me do classes (primarily on Project Management and assisting people in career planning) for them about once a month. While there are no guarantees, this is our plan for a basic income for the first couple of years. American Express now flies me from Minneapolis to wherever they want me to teach, so they’ll just fly me from a convenient airport near wherever I am at the time. In addition to the American Express work, I plan to do more motivational/inspirational speaking as well as other training courses of my own. Eventually, we hope to have some books published that will add to our revenue. Tom’s ImagiNature Photography business will build over the next few years, too.