Change.
For some, the idea of laying down roots, growing into their home, and year-by-year etching a mark on the wall to track their baby’s growth would be a dream come true. I work with people who’ve spent the last 20+ years supporting the same employer. A milestone that I know I’ll never accomplish in my lifetime. I love those people. Their level of contentment and the pride that they take in knowing just where they belong is comforting.
I don’t have that and, while refreshing to see in others, it’s not actually something that I’m particularly found of achieving. There’s something at the heart of who I am that needs change and, thankfully, I’m married to a man who feels the same way. We joke that the only thing we both consistently keep the same in our lives is the love we share for each other and our son.
Call me crazy, but I love learning a new neighborhood, getting lost in my own self-discovery, falling in love with my husband all over again in a new space, and watching strangers discover our son’s spark. I actually enjoy knowing very few people, having to build connections, and once again rediscovering why I’m a person worthy of being called a friend.
It has been two years since we moved back to Huntingdon,
one year since my husband took on a new position,
and two years since I’ve changed employers.
For some, it sounds like we’ve barely sat still, but for us, the impulse to change has lit itself on fire once more. This time, instead of packing it all up and hitting the open road, we’ve decided to take some time to redefine ourselves in this space.
The Mister started running, quit drinking months ago, sold off thousands of dollars worth of hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear, and has laid his focus on qualifying for Loretta Lynn’s. Over the last year, we’ve streamlined our relationships - prioritizing the ones that make our family better and walking away from the ones that didn’t. We’ve started using the word “no” much more often. It has been amazing! Our weekends are much more rewarding when we’re the ones who get to map them out. We’ve both dug into our work, outlined the places for growth and the skills that we still need to develop, and set a plan in place to make it happen. We’ve been staring at world maps much more these days and working to put funds behind our urge to explore foreign territory. We’ve put a lot of focus on identifying a place/neighborhood/community/school that is best for Sully and, this time around, we’ve constructed a two year plan that’s focused on getting us there.
I can’t help but feel like we’re growing up. In our mid 20’s, we leaped at every opportunity and barely evaluated the risk. No doubt, it was fun… and thankfully, also proved to be incredibly rewarding. In our late 20’s/early 30’s, we’re discovering that taking a look ahead and preparing a staged plan isn’t so bad after all. There’s beauty in knowing that adventure awaits and comfort in realizing that we’re at a stage in our lives that allows us to take a little more control of our destiny.
[picture via the lovely, Jill Isaacson]
