Embracing the childlike joy of RVing and rediscovering life’s simple wonders

By Nanci Dixon
More people than ever are looking at ways to rediscover that childlike wonder and awe they once had. We as RVers have the upper hand in getting there. We get to be in nature and discover, travel to, and uncover amazing places all the time.

Do you remember the first time you thought about RVing? It might have been when you were trying to sleep on that ultra-thin mattress over a rock in a tent. Or, it might have been when you saw an RV roll down the highway. Or perhaps when everything shut down in Covid, RVing looked like a way to salvage canceled vacations or was just a way to travel out of the house safely. Just stepping into your new or a new-to-you RV can be a moment of breathless joy.

The first time I saw a 1967 Winnebago at a car show in South Dakota, I held my breath and realized that was my dream sitting right in front of me. Oh my! It had a sink, an ice box, a stove, a bed and, wonders of all… a bathroom! It would be many, many years before we actually had a vehicle that could be legitimately called an RV. However, that feeling of enchantment remains in my memory.

For whatever reason, sometimes that childlike joy and awe in RVing can dim, particularly with high gas prices, crowded campgrounds and service hiccups. How do we rediscover that awe? As RVers, we have a leg up, a starting point closer to that moment, that sense of childlike wonder.

What science says

So, how do you do it? How can you get that childlike moment of awe, wonder, and joy again? Dacher Keltner, a professor at UC Berkeley, has studied awe and wonder for 25 years and has found some of the ways that people access that moment. He cited being in nature, viewing art, seeing the virtue of others, group events like weddings, sporting events, spiritual experiences, and life and death epiphanies in his research.

Keltner explains that wonder follows awe. He writes, “It is a mental state where you are curious and wanting to explore and discover.” Keltner has recently published a book, “Awe: The Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.” It is now available on Amazon.

For all of us who have national parks on our bucket list (that’s me!), who watch a sunrise over the Atlantic or a sunset on the Pacific, point excitedly to a landmark, a mountain, a winding road, or just pick up an unusual shell or pinecone… we still hold that wonder deep within us. And it does become awe… if we let it.

Look for awe in the mundane

Tune into the everyday things, even the things that seem to be mundane. Really see and appreciate them. It is easy when traveling from point A to B to forget the wonder of the journey along the way. What catches the eye, and what details—sights, sounds, and smells—are often overlooked?

Last year as we traveled north, I became aware of so many places that were boarded up. I began snapping photos, changed them to black and white, and created an album I called, “Lost Dreams”.

I always hem, haw and complain about the work involved in extensive trip planning and packing up for RV trips. But I realized that the closer I get to the actual final plans and packing, the more excited I am. Some would say even I get giddy! And as all of us probably know, making endless reservations and packing up an RV can be pretty mundane.

Appreciate wonder in all places

We expect to be awestruck at the Grand Canyon or Yosemite National Park. But what about the places and people that also can bring about that moment of awe when and where we didn’t expect it?

Keltner was “surprised that moral beauty was the most prevalent source of awe across the world.” Volunteering, acts of kindness, friendliness of fellow campers and appreciating the good news of others all can inspire and provide awe in a momentous way.

Slow down and appreciate the moment

Yup, smell the proverbial roses. I try to remember that this moment is the only one I have now. The past is gone and the future is not promised. Now is my moment. It is indeed having gratitude for this trip, the campsite and the people around me. The simple warmth and smell of a campfire, the crackling of leaves underfoot, the unexpected handholding with a significant other are all memorable moments in time.

Be more playful

Go back to childhood! Try doing the things that brought joy as a child. Was it riding a bike and feeling free? Ebikes are all the rage! Did you like art? Pick up a sketchbook, art pencils, and doodle. It isn’t the finished piece but the feeling it evokes that counts.

Melissa Kirsch wrote a piece in the New York Times about returning to activities that gave her joy when she was young. Hundreds of people replied with their stories. Some said that they were embarrassing their children by taking up skateboarding again at 45, and one person returned to fly fishing where the rhythm of casting a fly came quickly back. Others were taking language classes and one person was figure skating again. I am thinking about getting some jacks, sitting on the floor, and seeing if I can pick up all of them at one time again.

Megan Brenenstuhl, in the same article, summed it up: “If there was something you once loved doing, give it a shot because the 20-years-ago you is still in there and it’s fun to find them!”

Fill your life with joyful people, people who inspire

We have neighbors, Van and Sandy, down the block, who have to be the most joyful and fun-loving people I have met. They are active, friendly and welcoming. Their world is large. Sandy just had her 22nd surgery this week and we can joke that she really knows how to recover! Their marriage is solid, loving, and boisterous. Both she and her husband share their full, unapologetic belly laughs with everyone.

We recently went camping with them in Quartzsite, Arizona. It was so fun to be able to “wagon up” and step out our door to cook, talk, and even play games.

Another friend, Nancy, has this as her email signature on every email she sends, “It’s always a good idea to sit at the fun table.” —Esther Hicks

I want to “sit at the fun table,” learn to laugh, appreciate the precious moments as we travel in the RV, and let all the good fill me with wonder and awe. I wish the same for you.

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