Finding Home in Unexpected Places
Can I stay here?
I’ve been out of the U.S. for more than 2.5 months now. By the time I return in September, it will have been over four. I’ve lived in Mexico, I’m currently in Ecuador, and I’ll head next to Medellín, Colombia. I’m not rushing. I’m not just passing through. I’m letting each place change me a little. And I’m realizing—I like this better.
I’m house-sitting, so I’m staying in beautiful places for free. Most things cost less. The medical care? Better than the U.S. The architecture? Cinderblock and functional. The people? Chill and deeply generous.
I lived in Maplewood, NJ for 22 years. Many of my “friends” and acquaintances there never invited me into their homes. And I never invited them into mine. In Ecuador, I’ve been here 10 days and I’ve already sipped fresh juice on a stranger’s balcony with her and her mom overlooking the Pacific. Today, I’m writing this from the dining room of the caretaker who brought me into his home to use his Wi-Fi so I wouldn’t miss a call with a potential new client.
What’s that about?
I don’t know entirely. But I like it. It feels…more human.
And the work I’m doing with This Is Deeper? It’s about that same thing: Rehumanizing our intimate relationships. Creating space for honesty, for presence, for non-sexual touch. I’m not offering a fairy tale. I’m offering an experience. One that people keep saying is “the most important work there is.”
So, I’ll keep doing it. And if you want to learn more, I’d love to talk.