Once upon a time when I was younger I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance and was enthralled by the idea of seeing the world from the back of a motorcycle. At the time I had never envisioned having a blog and documenting my journey until stumbled upon Lost with Mike. Up until then the idea of being nomad living on the road never crossed my mind. As I read through Mike’s journey and viewed his pictures I was drawn into the challenge and adventure and it has never left my mind.
That was many years ago and life circumstances including: divorce, a mental breakdown, losing my job and having to declare bankrupty threw a significant wrench into the works. My life fell apart and with it the whole dream. I honestly didn’t think I would ever reach a point where the dream would become a reality.
During this time, as I sorted my life out and got the help I need for my mental wellbeing, the vision began to change. This was largely due to the struggles I was having with my mental illness, the treatment I was receiving and the people I was meeting along the way. Not only did I find kinship with the other travelers on the highway of mental illness. I also found a common thread; most or all of them felt as if there life had derailed and there was no hope for change. Thus the idea for Miles Yet To Travel was born.
A life with mental illness is a journey, for better or worse. No one chooses this journey. Often times its incredibly challenging, painful and leaves little room for hope. While I can’t heal people I can offer them hope and regardless of mental illness or not we all need hope.
Within these pages you will find my journey. Hopefully it will be a good one. More importantly it will be honest one. I want you to know that I too feel limited by my mental illness, but I have a choice to let it limit me. That’s not to say it’s that simple. It’s not. This will be incredibly challenging for me. That’s ok. If through my struggle and story one person can find hope and take action to reach beyond their mental illness for a dream, whatever it may be, then it will be worth it.
I hope you will join me on this journey.
July 25, 2021
You will never be ready to heal until the pain of healing becomes less than the pain of staying the same.
-C.Hunter Grey