JFK said that “conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” The project of Intrepidus Vita is about bringing freedom and growth not only to our company but also to our clients and to the people we meet along the way. As we head further west in hopes of warmer weather, we have (short list):
- saved two hounds (one with a broken leg) from the interstate
- helped and educated a fellow bus lifer/story teller with frozen air brakes
- brought joy to a waitress who was not being treated with respect by naming a drink recipe after her and encouraging her to take her dream vacation
- spoiled an old tripod dog rotten while his owner helped fix our heater
- helped a stranger bring music to her bus so she can have a higher quality of life with her children
- traveled back to places to continue to build relationships
- verified and helped fix a well in Texas
- helped a baby cow navigate traffic and fences to get back to its momma
- supported a farmer who couldn’t get out of bed due to a bad injury
- inspired a group of chronic illness folks to not give up hope
- focused on buying locally sourced food and products
- overcame our fear that we’d never be able to hike again
- brought smiles and many looks of WTF from all kinds of people
While we are able to see wonderful and truly beautiful areas of our country, we are also seeing how many people truly live. Seeing poverty like the family living in a former homestead cabin with holes in the roof and attic that are visible from the highway in southern Georgia is a truly humbling experience. We are a step apart from the single mother that is living in a school bus with her child because she can’t afford child care. Perspective is good and often forgotten while in front of our screens.
Are we on this adventure for fun and leisure? Of course we are but there is far more to it. Society by its nature will try to put you in a box and set expectations for how you contribute to the machine. This will range from how you live, to what is acceptable travel, to what you are allowed to experience. We, as nonconformists and believers in freedom, believe people should choose how they live. Intrepidus Vita is Latin for Fearless Life, and it embodies the belief that in 2023, you can convert a school bus and travel while working if you want to. We’re not ignorant and think that it’s easy or that roots aren’t important. We recognize the effort/investment any risk like this takes, and we also know how life changing it can be. (Think it’s all fun and games? Try having three dogs in 120 square feet with giardia…)
In 2023 we encourage you to find what inspires you. Working remotely has changed the way we live, and offers you the opportunity more than ever to chase after what you want. We challenge you this year to discover what your Intrepidus Vita is.
