Realization hit like a slap
We let The Burrow go today. It was time. I did not want to sell her but knew that it was the best thing. We have been in our new, still un-named coach, for three months. I wanted to find someone capable of appreciating The Burrow and how much she still has to offer. I feel like we found that person and he is now her new owner. But I was not prepared for the realization and emotion I felt as I followed Ken while he drove The Burrow to her new home. The realization and emotion her sale invoked made me realize we had given her the perfect RV name.
Our Beginning
When Ken and I started our journey in The Burrow, I was both mentally and physically broken by chemo and radiation. It was a slow process to trust her. Post-traumatic stress disorder manifests in odd ways. For me, every mile was an expectation that something terrible would happen. I had no mental strength and a complete inability to advocate or defend myself. Anxiety was a constant companion in our early travels.
Things did go wrong. Like the tire debacle or our Walmart parking ordeal. These, and other events, were more than we expected. I can laugh now but when happening, it was overwhelming. Ken, ever my rock, managed it all and I helped when I could. As we added the miles, it gradually became okay. I could muster the energy to manage two hundred-forty square feet of living space. I could make it three hundred miles down the road, albeit slowly, without becoming a panicked, babbling mess.
I improved physically too. Early attempts at hiking were arduous. We would repeatedly stop to rest because I did not have the strength to walk a half mile. Ken was so patient with me while I struggled to be normal again. But each difficult hike ended with a cozy night, safe and comfortable in our Burrow.
A refuge for healing
The Burrow provided an opportunity to stay engaged in new sights and sounds. To breath in and heal in awe inspiring nature. I saw ancient trees, painted deserts, volcanos, pristine caves, waterfalls, wildlife, beaches, and sunsets. She gave me the opportunity to forget the dreaded diagnosis of stage IV cancer and to marvel at what I could have missed.
Goodbye
The Burrow has been my security blanket for five years. And today I am giving her up. My sentiment may be silly to others, but she has played a key role in allowing me to heal. I will always treasure the memories we made with her and the sense of safety she gave me until I could achieve a better mental and physical place in my life. What a perfect RV name we gave her.
Art Credit Jessica Boehman
Always Grateful.👫