Last year on Memorial Day weekend I made my move to a city with 67,034 people. To some this wouldn’t be a big deal but when you move from a town with a population of 128, it’s quite a change! I’m here to tell you, going from zero stop lights and no, no one is coming to stop lights and other vehicles coming from every direction all the time is quite a change for this girl!
I knew 2 people and the one I moved here to be with ended up being gone for 3 weeks over the course of the first 2 months I was here and the other was someone I barely knew and rarely saw. If you decided to make an attempt to convince me that reliving those first two months here would be a good idea, I might find it necessary to remind you that it’s time to have a root canal without Novocaine!
I consciously made the decision to move away from my family and my friends. I quit my full time job and I took a leap of faith that landed me in a place, that at times, felt like a different universe. Unpacking boxes kept me busy for a while and finding places for my things, which were minimal, took some strategic planning but eventually I was settled and the feelings of isolation exploded.
One year later I can honestly say I have made a safe trip back to planet Earth. I no longer feel nearly as alone as I did only one short year ago. The bridges Don and I have built across our differences have made meeting in the middle so much easier. It’s tricky when attempting to mesh two completely different lives with two separate pasts together but I am happy to say we have found our way and what a wonderful journey it has been!
Last year when Don announced that his job would be taking him to Anchorage, Alaska for a week followed by a week of training in Houston, Texas, the feelings of disbelief felt as shocking as if I had suddenly found a way to fit my entire hand into an electrical outlet while convincing the fingers on my other hand to wrap themselves around the plugged in and turned on blow dryer that would eventually land in the sink full of water!
This morning Don left for a week’s worth of work in Minnesota that will be followed by another week of work in Minnesota and then a week long fishing trip with his dad and the shock waves were no longer there. The blow dryer stayed in the cupboard, the sink was dry and my fingers were busy groping him during the rather long hug and kiss we shared before he walked out the door! I chose to create an existence far away from anything familiar to me and I survived! It’s the very first time in my life I’ve been completely alone at night and I’m fine. What a powerful feeling it is when you realize your true strength and know that what you’re capable of is far more than what you’ve given yourself credit for during all those years that have passed!
I can’t say I’m not extremely happy when I know Don is going to be home as are my fingers (heehee) and at times it’s only for a few hours but it’s reinforced some pretty valuable lessons on quality time and the precious gift of true love.
This Memorial Day weekend I plan to say a prayer for all the families who have lost loved ones that have fought for the freedom we enjoy. I plan to say a prayer of thanks for the passage of time and for all the faith that carried me through those moments over the past year when I really wasn’t sure things were going to be okay!