tales of a female nomad

tales of a female nomad

Preface:

I’m a modern-day nomad. I have no permanent address, no possessions except the ones I carry, and I rarely know where I’ll be six months from now. I move through the world without a plan, guided by instinct, connecting by trust, and constantly watching for serendipitous opportunities.

People are my passion. Unlike a traditional nomad, when I go somewhere, I settle with the locals long enough to share the minutes of their days, to know the season of their lives, and to be trusted with their secrets. I have lived with people in thatched huts, slept in their gilded palaces, and worshipped with them at godly ceremonies and dens of black magic. I have also cooked with women on fires all over the world.

I’ve been living and loving my nomadic existence since the day in 1986 when, at the age of forty-eight, on the verge of a divorce, I looked around and thought: There has to be more than one way to do life.

There is.

***

I’m sorry I can’t remember who gifted me this book for Christmas 2005, although I am thinking it was probably my Mom. At least I had the date written on the inside of the front cover. I picked up my copy this morning to read again, then sent Author Rita an email (we’ve been in touch now for about 6 months) to which she immediately responded. (It’s pretty amazing, you read or hear about someone you think is fantastic, contact them to tell them that and they really do get back to you, which is of course the reason you thought they were fantastic in the first place; they are.)

Thanks for being such an inspiration Rita. The last paragraph of your preface is what continues to stay with me most about this book after 7 years. After rereading it again today I had to post it here.  There certainly is more than one way to “do” life and I fully plan to keep on doing it. Glad you are too!