Transit Soul

This year we spent our first Christmas together in Michigan, and being the beach kid that I am, I had never skated on a lake before. 

Mark and I took our chances of falling through freshly frozen ice, found his old hockey skates and decided "yolo" was more than just a saying. 

It had just started snowing, so the ice was still super smooth and transparent. You could see through to the bottom of the lake in the shallow parts.

I learned that hearing the sound of cracking ice is almost as scary as hearing the Jaws theme song while in the ocean.. Almost

Mark was like a ninja, and didn't fall more than 5 times.. I call it a win. We had so much fun playing with his drone and just being kids again.

I know it will sound cliche, but it was so magical to skate in the middle of the lake while snow fell on my face. It has become one of my favorite memories.

As an amazing surprise we found a group of swans patrolling the unfrozen area of the lake.  They where looking for one last winter meal from the lake.

Here is the link to our drone video that Mark shot. 

When I hear the word “free” several things come to mind. I think of not being tied down.

I think about having the ability to change my mind, location, or viewpoints at any given time.

Not until I gave up everything that was once a norm to me, did I realize how much dedication it takes to truly be free.

Being free is more than a mind set. It is a routine that flirts with the feeling of having a 9-5.

The difference is that it is a choice, and a contract that you make with yourself.

At any given time, you can change your mind or rip up said contract. 

 If you are not happy, then shake it up and do something different. 

Don’t like where you live? Move. 

What if you don’t jive with the people you have surrounded yourself with? 

 Well… start over. 

That is exactly how I felt, and exactly what I did. 

 I gave away anything that didn’t fit in my jeep (minus my guitars because…  let’s be real),

said my goodbyes, and shook up my life in a big way. 

I moved into a Sprinter van with my musician boyfriend and his parrot and laughed at every Chris Farley Joke thrown my way.

It’s taken me years to learn that you can never really be ready for freedom. You just have to want it and fight for it. 

 I wanted to travel, make music that felt authentic, and be open to wherever life took me.

I wanted to wake up in new places and have conversations with strangers who would become friends.

In order to have any of these things though, I had to chase more than just my dreams.. I had to chase freedom. 

So… here is to freedom and the people who chase it. 

-MJ