April 22nd marks World Earth Day, an annual event focused on promoting environmental protection, sustainability and adopting new ways of living. In Back Where We Belong, Briony Deyes decides to embrace an alternative lifestyle as a result of a decision from which there is no going back, one that tears her family apart. Becoming part of the van life community results in Briony living more sustainably, with only her most essential possessions and those which truly bring her joy being given space in the campervan she calls home.
When I was writing the book, I carried out a lot of research into alternative lifestyles. I was fascinated by the places that people call home. There were horse boxes, shipping containers, school buses, ambulances and all kinds of vehicles, from overlanders to a woman and her two dogs who lived full-time in a tiny Renault Kangoo.
Back Where We Belong is a story of redemption, forgiveness and deciding what’s really important. While I don’t think I could ever be a full-time van lifer, I really like the idea of taking a leaf out of Briony’s book and focusing only on the possessions I truly need or those which bring me happiness. The idea of embracing what we already have as enough results in far less need to chase possessions and instead focus on what’s truly important. For Briony that turns out to be connection with the people she loves most in the world and just the smallest possibility of repairing a relationship she thought was broken forever.
Do you think you could embrace an alternative lifestyle and, if you did, what possessions would you hold on to no matter how small the space? Most of all, if you had the chance to focus on what’s really important to you, what would that be?
Back Where We Belong will be published on Monday April 27th – click here to pre-order your copy!