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While I Can: Finding Purpose and Legacy in a Distant Land
"While I Finding Purpose and Legacy in a Distant Land" tells the story of how a retired firefighter and his wife throw caution to the wind and follow their hearts. Amid health challenges and devastating diagnoses, they trade the comfort of their spacious home on Vancouver Island, Canada, for a tiny home on wheels to find meaning and new passion in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Ride along with Jo and Michael Dibblee as they make their forty-seven-hour drive on an adventure of a lifetime. Through both lighthearted and terrifying moments, the couple finds their legacy, manifesting a more purposeful life than they could ever have imagined.
Author
Jo Dibblee is a bestselling author and philanthropist. Her memoir about living in witness protection for decades, "Frock Living Undisguised," received multiple awards internationally in the true crime and inspiration categories. "Bella’s How Our Pup Rescued Us," her collection of stories about adopting abandoned and forgotten dogs, focuses on the roles that animals play in healing. Jo has spoken to audiences around the world and written extensively on the topics of success, optimism, and change. She is also the founder of Team Humanity Baja, a not-for-profit society that serves others and helps those most in need from a grassroots level.
Ride along with Jo and Michael Dibblee as they make their forty-seven-hour drive on an adventure of a lifetime. Through both lighthearted and terrifying moments, the couple finds their legacy, manifesting a more purposeful life than they could ever have imagined.
Author
Jo Dibblee is a bestselling author and philanthropist. Her memoir about living in witness protection for decades, "Frock Living Undisguised," received multiple awards internationally in the true crime and inspiration categories. "Bella’s How Our Pup Rescued Us," her collection of stories about adopting abandoned and forgotten dogs, focuses on the roles that animals play in healing. Jo has spoken to audiences around the world and written extensively on the topics of success, optimism, and change. She is also the founder of Team Humanity Baja, a not-for-profit society that serves others and helps those most in need from a grassroots level.
184 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 11, 2023
In Jo Dibblee’s, “While I Can: Finding Purpose and Legacy in a Distant Land,” living every day as if it were your last is not just a mere statement but a hard-hitting truth.
Dibblee has gone through various tests and appointments since her diagnosis of Vascular Ehlers-Danlos (VEDS), a serious syndrome that can weaken the major arteries causing aneurysms. The last test surprisingly overturns her stance on life after spending about twenty minutes listening to Dr. Anderson explain the results. Her mind gets lost in the haze, only to come back to her senses and hear the doctor telling her husband Michael, “It’s time for her to smell the flowers. Don’t wait.”
In this epic read, readers are introduced to two highly inspiring love birds, who solidify a plan to travel to a foreign land, despite its negative stories from the newsrooms. Breaking the details of their venture stirs up a sad reception from family and friends who in vain attempt to shoot down their ambition. A series of unpredictable turns follow, such as Michael’s diagnosis of prostate cancer. Dibblee says, “This was not about early intervention. It was way past that. The message was: act now, or you will die.” Although they had to steer through some rough waters, they both remained resolute and supportive of each other and lost sight of what Dr. Anderson had spoken of.
Readers will feel challenged to get out of their comfort zones and try something entirely different, no matter how difficult it may seem at first, after encountering this mesmerizing tale. The author is certain that life always gives two choices- to either be an observer or an active player. This assertion is bound to bring many people into a time of deep introspection regarding their choice of life, today and in the future. Jo tries to break the chilling mood that is created by the sad experiences with a sense of humor here and there. Her voice is warm and soothing, and it beautifully weaves a story that sounds like a Hollywood invention with utmost precision and keenness to the emotions of her audience, using a masterful prose that allows readers to experience the adventure on the pages for themselves.
“While I Can: Finding Purpose and Legacy in a Distant Land” is without a doubt a beautiful must-read story, that ascertains the words of Mandy Hale- Life isn’t meant to be lived perfectly… but merely to be lived: boldly, wildly, beautifully, uncertainly, imperfectly, magically lived. By the end of the book, readers are bound to deliberately think of their purpose and endeavor to live their legacy while they still can. This is a highly recommended motivational tool for readers of all ages and backgrounds.
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Dibblee has gone through various tests and appointments since her diagnosis of Vascular Ehlers-Danlos (VEDS), a serious syndrome that can weaken the major arteries causing aneurysms. The last test surprisingly overturns her stance on life after spending about twenty minutes listening to Dr. Anderson explain the results. Her mind gets lost in the haze, only to come back to her senses and hear the doctor telling her husband Michael, “It’s time for her to smell the flowers. Don’t wait.”
In this epic read, readers are introduced to two highly inspiring love birds, who solidify a plan to travel to a foreign land, despite its negative stories from the newsrooms. Breaking the details of their venture stirs up a sad reception from family and friends who in vain attempt to shoot down their ambition. A series of unpredictable turns follow, such as Michael’s diagnosis of prostate cancer. Dibblee says, “This was not about early intervention. It was way past that. The message was: act now, or you will die.” Although they had to steer through some rough waters, they both remained resolute and supportive of each other and lost sight of what Dr. Anderson had spoken of.
Readers will feel challenged to get out of their comfort zones and try something entirely different, no matter how difficult it may seem at first, after encountering this mesmerizing tale. The author is certain that life always gives two choices- to either be an observer or an active player. This assertion is bound to bring many people into a time of deep introspection regarding their choice of life, today and in the future. Jo tries to break the chilling mood that is created by the sad experiences with a sense of humor here and there. Her voice is warm and soothing, and it beautifully weaves a story that sounds like a Hollywood invention with utmost precision and keenness to the emotions of her audience, using a masterful prose that allows readers to experience the adventure on the pages for themselves.
“While I Can: Finding Purpose and Legacy in a Distant Land” is without a doubt a beautiful must-read story, that ascertains the words of Mandy Hale- Life isn’t meant to be lived perfectly… but merely to be lived: boldly, wildly, beautifully, uncertainly, imperfectly, magically lived. By the end of the book, readers are bound to deliberately think of their purpose and endeavor to live their legacy while they still can. This is a highly recommended motivational tool for readers of all ages and backgrounds.
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November 9, 2023
While I Can by Jo Dibblee is an inspirational travel memoir that documents the author and her husband's decision to throw caution to the wind and leave their home in Canada to embark upon an adventure of a lifetime to Baja, Mexico.
What starts out as a plan to spend a winter there turns into something so much more as they fall in love with Baja, the community, and the people. While Michael pursues his dream to master kitesurfing in one of the best places on earth for the sport, Jo gets involved in fostering dogs and eventually helping set up Team Baja Humanity, a grassroots project that aims to uplift communities in need in Baja.
Their travels end up being a life-affirming journey of discovery that changes them and their lives in ways they never imagined when setting out on this epic adventure.
I absolutely loved this book. It's gloriously optimistic and brimming with raw emotion. As Jo Dibblee takes the reader along for the ride, her writing vividly conjures up the experience of embracing the unknown and opening yourself up to life's possibilities. The writing is top-notch, and I really enjoyed feeling part of the author's emotional journey.
A key theme of the book is grasping life by the horns "while you can." It is this moto that propels Jo and her husband onto their path of Baja after recent health scares put their own mortality into sharp focus. Overall, Jo's book is full of hard-won life wisdom and is a pleasure to read.
"Most things in life must be experienced and learned; there's no shortcut or free pass. It is from these moments we know and do better, or, at the very least, become wiser. It wasn't as though we hadn't done our research and talked to others, but there were plenty of things we did not, or could not, know." (p 43)
Through her words, Jo portrays the transformational effect of travel and weaves a story that is full of love not only for travel but for people, relationships, communities, and the wider world. She effectively brings her experience to life with well-written, vivid descriptions and extraordinary emotional intelligence. Her words are sure to inspire a healthy dose of wanderlust in her readers! Her commitment to other people and being of service to those in need is both touching and inspirational.
What starts out as a plan to spend a winter there turns into something so much more as they fall in love with Baja, the community, and the people. While Michael pursues his dream to master kitesurfing in one of the best places on earth for the sport, Jo gets involved in fostering dogs and eventually helping set up Team Baja Humanity, a grassroots project that aims to uplift communities in need in Baja.
Their travels end up being a life-affirming journey of discovery that changes them and their lives in ways they never imagined when setting out on this epic adventure.
I absolutely loved this book. It's gloriously optimistic and brimming with raw emotion. As Jo Dibblee takes the reader along for the ride, her writing vividly conjures up the experience of embracing the unknown and opening yourself up to life's possibilities. The writing is top-notch, and I really enjoyed feeling part of the author's emotional journey.
A key theme of the book is grasping life by the horns "while you can." It is this moto that propels Jo and her husband onto their path of Baja after recent health scares put their own mortality into sharp focus. Overall, Jo's book is full of hard-won life wisdom and is a pleasure to read.
"Most things in life must be experienced and learned; there's no shortcut or free pass. It is from these moments we know and do better, or, at the very least, become wiser. It wasn't as though we hadn't done our research and talked to others, but there were plenty of things we did not, or could not, know." (p 43)
Through her words, Jo portrays the transformational effect of travel and weaves a story that is full of love not only for travel but for people, relationships, communities, and the wider world. She effectively brings her experience to life with well-written, vivid descriptions and extraordinary emotional intelligence. Her words are sure to inspire a healthy dose of wanderlust in her readers! Her commitment to other people and being of service to those in need is both touching and inspirational.
June 19, 2026
While I Can: Finding Purpose and Legacy in a Distant Land is an uplifting and inspiring memoir about courage, reinvention, and the pursuit of a life filled with meaning.
When health challenges and difficult diagnoses arrive, many people retreat into familiarity and caution. Jo and Michael Dibblee choose a different path. They leave behind the comfort of their life on Vancouver Island, trade their spacious home for a tiny home on wheels, and embark on a remarkable journey to Baja California Sur, Mexico in search of purpose, adventure, and a deeper legacy.
What makes this memoir so engaging is that it is not simply a travel story. At its heart, it is a story about choosing possibility over fear. The couple's forty-seven-hour drive becomes a metaphor for the larger transformation taking place in their lives as they step away from certainty and toward a future filled with service, growth, and unexpected opportunities.
Jo Dibblee writes with warmth, honesty, and optimism. Readers experience both the excitement and uncertainty of major life change, along with the practical and emotional realities that accompany such a bold decision. The result is a memoir that feels authentic, relatable, and deeply encouraging.
Particularly inspiring is the focus on legacy. Rather than asking what they can gain from this new chapter, Jo and Michael ask what they can contribute. Their commitment to helping others and creating meaningful impact through their humanitarian efforts adds depth and purpose to an already compelling story.
The memoir also serves as a reminder that some of life's most rewarding adventures begin when we least expect them. Whether facing retirement, health challenges, personal transitions, or simply a desire for something more, readers will find valuable lessons within these pages.
While I Can is an inspiring testament to resilience, generosity, and the belief that it is never too late to create a life of significance. A heartfelt and motivating read that will leave readers reflecting on their own purpose and possibilities.
When health challenges and difficult diagnoses arrive, many people retreat into familiarity and caution. Jo and Michael Dibblee choose a different path. They leave behind the comfort of their life on Vancouver Island, trade their spacious home for a tiny home on wheels, and embark on a remarkable journey to Baja California Sur, Mexico in search of purpose, adventure, and a deeper legacy.
What makes this memoir so engaging is that it is not simply a travel story. At its heart, it is a story about choosing possibility over fear. The couple's forty-seven-hour drive becomes a metaphor for the larger transformation taking place in their lives as they step away from certainty and toward a future filled with service, growth, and unexpected opportunities.
Jo Dibblee writes with warmth, honesty, and optimism. Readers experience both the excitement and uncertainty of major life change, along with the practical and emotional realities that accompany such a bold decision. The result is a memoir that feels authentic, relatable, and deeply encouraging.
Particularly inspiring is the focus on legacy. Rather than asking what they can gain from this new chapter, Jo and Michael ask what they can contribute. Their commitment to helping others and creating meaningful impact through their humanitarian efforts adds depth and purpose to an already compelling story.
The memoir also serves as a reminder that some of life's most rewarding adventures begin when we least expect them. Whether facing retirement, health challenges, personal transitions, or simply a desire for something more, readers will find valuable lessons within these pages.
While I Can is an inspiring testament to resilience, generosity, and the belief that it is never too late to create a life of significance. A heartfelt and motivating read that will leave readers reflecting on their own purpose and possibilities.
June 15, 2026
While I Can: Finding Purpose and Legacy in a Distant Land by Jo Dibblee is an inspiring and emotionally grounded memoir that explores the pursuit of purpose in the face of uncertainty. Anchored in a bold life decision, the narrative captures what it means to step away from comfort and embrace a path defined by intention and meaning.
What makes this memoir particularly compelling is its balance between adventure and reflection. The physical journey from Vancouver Island to Baja California Sur serves as a powerful framework for deeper themes of resilience, reinvention, and legacy. The transition from stability to the unknown is portrayed with both honesty and optimism.
The presence of real ife challenges, including health struggles and life altering diagnoses, adds emotional weight to the story. These elements elevate the memoir beyond a simple travel narrative, turning it into a testament to courage and the urgency of living with purpose.
Another strength lies in the relational dynamic. The shared journey between Jo and Michael brings warmth and authenticity, highlighting partnership, support, and shared vision as central forces in their transformation.
The narrative also reflects a strong philanthropic undertone. The emphasis on giving back and creating impact reinforces the idea that legacy is not just personal, but communal. This perspective adds depth and positions the memoir within a broader context of service and contribution.
Overall, While I Can is a thoughtful and uplifting memoir that speaks to readers who are seeking meaning, contemplating change, or navigating life transitions. It is a reminder that purpose is often found not in certainty, but in the willingness to move forward despite it.
What makes this memoir particularly compelling is its balance between adventure and reflection. The physical journey from Vancouver Island to Baja California Sur serves as a powerful framework for deeper themes of resilience, reinvention, and legacy. The transition from stability to the unknown is portrayed with both honesty and optimism.
The presence of real ife challenges, including health struggles and life altering diagnoses, adds emotional weight to the story. These elements elevate the memoir beyond a simple travel narrative, turning it into a testament to courage and the urgency of living with purpose.
Another strength lies in the relational dynamic. The shared journey between Jo and Michael brings warmth and authenticity, highlighting partnership, support, and shared vision as central forces in their transformation.
The narrative also reflects a strong philanthropic undertone. The emphasis on giving back and creating impact reinforces the idea that legacy is not just personal, but communal. This perspective adds depth and positions the memoir within a broader context of service and contribution.
Overall, While I Can is a thoughtful and uplifting memoir that speaks to readers who are seeking meaning, contemplating change, or navigating life transitions. It is a reminder that purpose is often found not in certainty, but in the willingness to move forward despite it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews