Easy Going - Life as a Trucker
It's nice having time off the road to relax and enjoy "real" life. Things are pretty much the same as they were before I became an over-the-road truck driver, as far as life at home goes. I find have the same tendencies and habits, which I fall back into as soon as I cross the threshold. But that is actually refreshing, as I honestly thought that being gone all the time would somehow erase those habits.
There is really only one thing that has genuinely changed about my ordinary life at home and that is my appreciation. My appreciation of all the things I have, the people I share my life with and the time I have available to do the things I love to do.
I come home and have to do all of the ordinary, mundane things I always did before: laundry, grocery shopping, hitting the mall for leisure, driving and parking and filling up the gas tank, spending time with family and friends, cooking, cleaning....
But now I can do all of those things with a deeper appreciation for their importance in my life. It's amazing really. I never dreamed I'd stand over the kitchen sink, washing dishes and enjoy it enough to say... "gee I've missed this domestic feeling".
I suppose that being out on the road all of the time really changes you. At first, the hardest part was just leaving my sweetie behind in a parking lot after every trip home. I'd cry, he'd tell me not to... I'd drive off and see him waving in the side-view mirror, through my tears. It was very tough. It's gotten easier, but I still get sad every time I leave.
As time has progressed, the hard things change a little. Sometimes, its just the being gone that hurts the most. When I was doing three to four weeks out, by week two and a half the depression was setting in. I would cry after long conversations on the phone with my sweetie or my family. I would get very lonely and more depressed the closer I got to home time. Of course, all of the loneliness and depression were washed away when I'd see my sweetie pull up in the familiar red car, getting out with a huge, eager smile and often times... a rose. It's in those moments that all of the hard work and time spent on the road are worth it.
I have truly learned a lot about myself since I've been out on the road. I am amazed at the person I've found inside myself, the strengths and weaknesses I've discovered, the dreams and desires I've uncovered. I've obviously had a lot of time with just myself, hours upon hours upon hours of time with myself. And during that time, I've gotten to know myself more than ever. And ya know what... I like me. I'm pretty cool. ;o)
Well anywho... the morning is wearing off and my day needs to get going. Lots of leisure to get to enjoying. Time to go motivate the sweetie to roll out of the bed and take me to breakfast. Have a great week! I may or may not blog again before I hit the road on Thursday morning. So in the meantime, enjoy yourselves!
There is really only one thing that has genuinely changed about my ordinary life at home and that is my appreciation. My appreciation of all the things I have, the people I share my life with and the time I have available to do the things I love to do.
I come home and have to do all of the ordinary, mundane things I always did before: laundry, grocery shopping, hitting the mall for leisure, driving and parking and filling up the gas tank, spending time with family and friends, cooking, cleaning....
But now I can do all of those things with a deeper appreciation for their importance in my life. It's amazing really. I never dreamed I'd stand over the kitchen sink, washing dishes and enjoy it enough to say... "gee I've missed this domestic feeling".
I suppose that being out on the road all of the time really changes you. At first, the hardest part was just leaving my sweetie behind in a parking lot after every trip home. I'd cry, he'd tell me not to... I'd drive off and see him waving in the side-view mirror, through my tears. It was very tough. It's gotten easier, but I still get sad every time I leave.
As time has progressed, the hard things change a little. Sometimes, its just the being gone that hurts the most. When I was doing three to four weeks out, by week two and a half the depression was setting in. I would cry after long conversations on the phone with my sweetie or my family. I would get very lonely and more depressed the closer I got to home time. Of course, all of the loneliness and depression were washed away when I'd see my sweetie pull up in the familiar red car, getting out with a huge, eager smile and often times... a rose. It's in those moments that all of the hard work and time spent on the road are worth it.
I have truly learned a lot about myself since I've been out on the road. I am amazed at the person I've found inside myself, the strengths and weaknesses I've discovered, the dreams and desires I've uncovered. I've obviously had a lot of time with just myself, hours upon hours upon hours of time with myself. And during that time, I've gotten to know myself more than ever. And ya know what... I like me. I'm pretty cool. ;o)
Well anywho... the morning is wearing off and my day needs to get going. Lots of leisure to get to enjoying. Time to go motivate the sweetie to roll out of the bed and take me to breakfast. Have a great week! I may or may not blog again before I hit the road on Thursday morning. So in the meantime, enjoy yourselves!
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