When no one else believes.
“My life changed the day I held a red potholder in the shape of the state of Texas. I’m not sure why my mother gave it to me, but it was a piece of the puzzle of my life. I was a little boy who was unreachable. I didn’t speak often. I was so withdrawn doctors were recommending institutionalization. I didn’t even know that at the time. But I sat in the corner holding onto that potholder for dear life. I stared at it for hours and somehow I was able to put together the thought that there were other places to go.
We didn’t have money and my parents believed that travel was out of the question with 7 children. We had some secondhand glasses with maps of states and countries on them. I used them to focus on the idea there was a larger world out there. I promised myself I would go when I could. I didn’t dare tell anyone for years because I knew they would attack my dreams.
By the time I was in high school I was brave enough to talk out loud about my dream of seeing the world. It was exhausting to argue for my future. Everyone around me said I couldn’t possibly travel, especially alone, and with very little money. They said it was a stupid dream that could never come true.
I had to believe in myself without encouragement from anyone. It was lonely. At times I felt suicidal. I knew I’d have to reach hard to learn what I needed to know. I had no experience and had to figure it all out by myself. It took years of planning and thinking about it and then I faced my fears, packed my bag and went.”