With it being over a year since my trip ended, people still ask me about it and want to know more. At my most scattered points when I almost gave up on pulling together the story of this trip, someone would swoop in and ask me something about it. I could feel how excited I was whenever I got to talk about it. I would love to turn this all into a book someday that not only my future family could read, but something that other people searching for answers could look to as a tool...a confirmation that it's a great thing to keep asking questions. I would love to be able to help another person in discovering their road just like Brian, Mike, and Nathan's story did for me.

Another valuable thing that I learned is that being true to yourself is the only way to go. A quote by Goethe sums it up: As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live. And so, today I am starting my book. Officially. Truly. 100%. Even if it's just a paragraph.

Last night I had the good fortune of being reconnected with a college friend of mine, Olivia, who recently moved into town. She told me of her plans to write a novel and I was so impressed with her passion and determination to get the story she has in her head out on paper. For those of us who write, even if it's unpublished work, it's still so frustrating when you hit a stumbling block or any other trap that keeps you from expressing yourself in words. Seemingly, the most important thing is starting. Now that my coat is back, I think I'm ready to begin.