Actually, what I should be asking is "How did I get here?" which I've done plenty of times, but I honestly believe that there is a "We." If I didn't believe this, I'd have an office job, a fat bank account, picket fence, etc. which I do not have so I'd love to learn how other people arrived at a similar decision which most likely required sacrifices, reassessing goals and expectations and working harder than an easier path would have required. I'm especially interested in those who weren't exposed to alternative living, permaculture, off the grid life, etc. growing up. I certainly wasn't. I was supposed to be a yuppie, but nevertheless that programming did not stick and as soon as I got out of school I took off like a bat out of heck. I didn't even go to the ceremony to get my diploma. All I knew was there were a lot of things wrong with how I was expected to live and I couldn't pretend not to see them.
I don't think I ever articulated it until right now, but without actually verbalizing it, I just had a feeling that I couldn't be the only one. (of course, you weren't genius! you're not that original:) You might call it faith, faith in an unknown "we". Here I am, now, posting on a very vast and established website created, maintained and used by the types of people who I didn't know existed, but had a feeling that they did. I apologize if this is a redundant question or coming out awkward. I'm not new to the lifestyle or permies (have been a big fan for many years), but never been one for joining or posting in forums. Maybe because even though I suspected that there were others, I didn't know anyone personally so when I made the decision to not take the road most-travelled or drink the cool-aid or swallow the blue pill, it was a personal, almost secret, decision. I didn't tell anyone or make any major announcements, I just took off and started learning what the life I had led up until then hadn't taught me which was a lot. That was 25 years ago.
So yes, I'd love to hear how others heard or responded to a similar inner voice or compass. I've run the gamut of morals, idealism, beliefs, convictions, stubbornness, etc. and I'd be foolish to claim that they didn't play a role in some ways, but when it's all said and done, the decision was, and still is -because we all continually make it everyday and could bail and join the mainstream whenever we want or could we? Maybe some of us don't have a choice. It's very hard to unrealize something(s). Mother Nature is so important to me that the decision was a form of loyalty to her and everything she's done and does for me, if that makes any sense than it was about virtue signaling or judging how others were living. It's more personal. I couldn't/can't risk damaging that relationship.
Alright, I rambled on enough. "Leaves are falling all around. It's time I was on my way. Thanks to you I'm much obliged..." Not to sound dramatic, but I guess this was my way of finally introducing myself to the unknown We. Nice to meet you, haha. Thanks for being you.
