We are people who love clubs. By “we” I mean all of us. As much as we pledge unity and “oneness,” people are regularly slapping on a label of some kind and then flashing that label to those who don’t have it. It’s human nature to affiliate, of course, and it’s also satisfying to belong. Belonging makes you feel good and worthy. We want others to know we’ve been accepted, especially into a group that doesn’t take just anyone.
I guess I’m no different. On that note, did you know #vanlife is a whole thing, an online collective of people who love to show off that they are nomads, that they are “living the dream” of the open road? Pack just your essentials, grab the dogs, and go. Drive anywhere, stop anywhere, stay anywhere. Life is an adventure! It’s a lovely idea that plays great in photos. Like the above: Here are doing #vanlife in the mountains of West Virginia. The weather appears perfect, the dogs are behaving…we must be having the time of our lives! For the record, our van is minimally outfitted compared to many; “comfort” is a relative thing. Still, we can look the part, and we talk about driving the whole country, stopping in all the beautiful places, waking up to steamy coffee and sunrises over every American landscape. We feel special when other #vanlife people wave to us, because we all GET IT. We are IN THE CLUB. We are DOING IT.
It’s a funny thing, this desire to be part of the tribe. I scoffed at the idea–I’m definitely not going to post too-perfect pictures or buy #vanlife merch. In fact, I expected to be the #vanlife grouch, sharing only pictures that burst the bubble of a #vanlife trip. The blooper reel, the sad truths, the “which-dog-rolled-in-deer-shit, can-we-please-get-a-hotel-room-and-take-a-goddamned-shower” moments. The world needs to know what the club is hiding.
And yet, I chose to do this quick snap…really, it just took a second…
No, that’s no good, the dogs aren’t looking and the light is wrong…we need that perfect morning glow. Honey, can you pull the van forward slightly? And either get out of the frame or get a steaming cup of something and wrap up in your Slanket and look dreamily out over the trees. No? Okay, move, please. Damn it. Get the dog’s attention? And fix that fold in the blanket…oh, never mind. We can correct it in Photoshop.
CLICK.
After this, dear readers, it’s van-life bloopers for the duration! I promise.
(#vanlife!!)