If I could, I would do 2015 all over again. Idyllic, challenging, adventurous and transforming… it was life as I wish it could always be lived. But it was not sustainable, nor was it meant to be. From its conception almost three years previous, our time on the road was designed to be a splurge.

Early on, my traveling companion (aka: husband, Mike) and I discussed and discarded options that would have required more working and less moving around. Ultimately, we agreed to cast off the constraints of adult thinking and treat ourselves to a year where anything was possible. We returned home broke but very, very satisfied.

It was a revelation in some ways, but an affirmation in many more. In flipping through the photos from our trip (see selected images at www.facebook.com/anythingcanhappenday) I’m struck by how much they have in common with those from Dunes Learning Center, where I am fortunate to remain employed. Because I worked remotely from the road, pictures of happy campers mingle with our own in my iPhoto application. Viewed side-by-side, the wonder and excitement are the same. I know what those kids are feeling when they hold a salamander for the first time—and that gives me a sense of purpose which makes my return to life behind a desk, if not easier, then at least justifiable.

At this time of year, when many of us contemplate where we’ve been and where we’re going, I’d like to encourage big thinking. A number of people have called our adventure inspiring or bold, but the trip itself was easy. What was difficult was knowing how badly we wanted it. It was scary to ask the universe to give us this gift and even more frightening to beg the support of friends, family and (gulp) employers. Everything that followed was a piece of cake. If you have a dream, make a plan. There’s no time like the present. Anything is possible.