The Golden Ticket

I grew up about 20 minutes north of Nashville TN in a town called Hendersonville. I spent the majority of my life in that town. Graduated from there and then after a few moves returned to raise my son there. If you grew up in a small town like me then you understand that growing up in a small town, you know at least 50 percent of the population, you know generations of families, you could be a tour guide for the town and all that surrounds you is familiar.

When I moved to Georgia in 2014, many people thought I’d lost my mind. Many placed bets that I’d return to my hometown or Nashville. Here’s what they did not understand, my deep hole of peace, solitude, and discovering me was what I needed in my life and it looked different from theirs. Georgia was my escape from my triggers from my trauma, it was my golden ticket.

It’s another reason why we are not to judge. We don’t know what people go through. We don’t know their triggers, trauma, dreams what brings them peace, and solitude, and what their path looks like. We barely know ourselves much less others.

The path to peace and solitude looks different for every person. It could be a room, a garden, the beach, the mountains, a big city, a new town, sitting in your car for hours, or going to the thrift store. The list is endless but the point is it doesn’t matter what it looks like to others if it brings you solitude. Having solitude and peace is the golden ticket in life. It’s why folks work 51 weeks a year to take 1 week of vacation. Proof that we will do anything to get what we need.

Being in a place that brings us peace and solitude is like winning the lottery. Sometimes it’s an opportunity that only comes once in a lifetime. It’s why I call it the golden ticket. Your heart has a desire and your soul needs food and only you know what that is and what it looks like. I encourage you to do you and find your golden ticket to your path of solitude and peace.