oh, the places I'll go!

Today I arrived in Nova Scotia!  This is truly an adventure  - not only am I going from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, I'm also moving from a large city to a small town.  I'm not sure exactly why, but since my trip here last summer I've felt a pull to come east. And come I did, despite the need to uproot a life full of love and family and friends.   But something tells me beautiful things will happen here too.  So, in the words of the incomparable Dr. Seuss . . .

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!

Your mountain is waiting.

So…get on your way!

saying goodbye

The last couple of weeks have been full of goodbyes.  The accompanying wild swings of emotion range from utmost excitement to heart aching sadness.  Some things I've learned along the way:

• I am blessed to have the luxury of choice 
• Sarah tells me that I will soon find the flip side of the sadness and difficulty of leaving
• To feel pain on saying goodbye is a blessing beyond measure

sometimes a song is worth 6119 km

More than a few niggles of "what the heck am I doing" have raced across my brain as I plan my move across the country.  Then I see this video, recognize a few familiar faces, and realize that any place that can produce this type of joy is worth living in.

cocoons of happiness

Conversation with Dee about the joys of moving and friendship conjures up an image of us safely cocooned within warm walls of happiness.  There couldn't be anything better on this cold and snowy night.

black bean soup and mini-oranges

My teary and overwrought phone call leads to a ride home, freshly made soup, and some yummy little oranges that I eat in one glup.  I'm reminded again how safe it feels to be vulnerable when there's a good friend around.

bird's eye view

Yesterday a friend invited me to go on a flight above Vancouver.  There were so many beautiful things about the whole experience and I think my favourite memory will be the dazzling light reflected off the water.

synchronicity

Just as I am passing by, a woman steps briskly out her front door.  She turns and waves at an upstairs window. At the same time another hand appears inside the main floor shop window to turn the store's sign to 'open'.  For one millisecond their hands form a perfect arch in mid air.

want one? I'll give you twenty

The smiling green grocer is pleased to give me as many boxes as he can.  "Take these apple boxes" he says, "they're particularly good for long moves."

into the unknown

This year will bring many new experiences for me, including a move across the country to Nova Scotia.  As my days fill with planning and packing, I'm reminded again and again that it is the love of friends that gives me the strength to fly into the unknown.

I love you, I need you.  Thank you.