Author, Barbara Ann Weibel
My name is Barbara Weibel. I’m fifty-something and still don’t know only recently figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I’ve always envied people who love their jobs. Unlike those lucky souls, my various careers over the years (marketing, advertising, selling real estate, working in a retail store, owning a public relations firm, and selling snow cones in the largest water park in Puerto Rico, among others) were just a means to an end – a way to earn money and have a comfortable lifestyle. I never loved what I did and I can’t really say I was ever really happy, but I plodded on because I was raised to be dependable, to always give 110%, and to work hard in order to be able to enjoy a comfortable retirement. All of which meant going to work every day, regardless of how much I despised my job.
I knew I wasn’t being true to myself. My inner voice constantly nagged, “Who am I, why am I here, and what is my purpose in life?” I had often heard that we should do what what we love, what makes us joyful. So I asked myself, “What makes me joyful?” But I had no answer. I knew there had to be something better out there; I just didn’t know what it was. Then I got sick. Really sick.
My health had been failing for some time but the doctors couldn’t determine what was wrong. More than once it was implied that my illness was all in my head. Finally, after five years of suffering, I was diagnosed with what had by then become chronic Lyme disease. During the initial treatment I was practically bedridden. Since I could barely drag myself from the bed to the couch (much less go to work) I had a lot of time to examine my life. I decided that things had to change. I was like a donut – a wonderful outer shell with an empty, hollow inside. I could no longer ignore the need to feel that I was living a purposeful life. I needed to fill the hole in my donut. Again I asked myself, “What brings me joy?” This time, I had some answers. Photography. Writing. And travel. I promised myself that when I recovered I would find a way of living that focused on those things that bring me joy.
As soon as I was healthy enough, I left my job, strapped on a backpack, and traveled solo around the world for six months, determined to visit all the places I’d long wanted to see. I traveled without major plans, went wherever the wind blew me, took thousands of photos along the way, and blogged about every place I visited. Upon returning to the States in September of 2007, I relocated to Sarasota, Florida, continuing to travel about 50% of the time while simultaneously pursuing freelance writing opportunities.
Although Hole In The Donut was initially intended as a means for my friends and family to follow me around the world, by the time I moved to Florida it, too, had become a passion. As I continued to write, the focus of the blog evolved. Today it documents my journey, both physical and spiritual, focusing on travelogues, travel industry news, stories about the crazy things that happen to me and the interesting people I meet along the way, and inspirational videos. With its self-deprecating humor and borderline snarky tone, Hole In The Donut has attracted a loyal readership, for which I am eternally grateful.
