“Made up my mind to make a new start,
Going to California with an aching in my heart.
Someone told me there’s a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.”
~ Led Zeppelin
Friday.
The decision to move to San Diego is all but written in stone, with only one more week until I cast off from shore and sail into the mostly discovered country of America and into that undiscovered country: the future.
How many people have ever dared, or have been given the chance, to re-imagine their lives, to start anew, to clean the slate, to simply burn the house down and walk away? People have asked me if I’m nervous about changing…everything? I’m not. I’m determined. I’m grateful. I’m exhilarated! Change is growth. I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I shall not squander it. It feels like…I found a magic lamp, a genie popped out and said, “Your wish is my command…?” So I said, “How about a new life?” Then he said, “Granted!” And “Poof!” Now I’m quitting my job and moving to sunny San Diego to live with my lovely, best friend Treva AND I get to travel around the United States for two months before that new life in San Diego begins. It all seems so surreal, unfathomable, mind-blowing and I am so filled with gratitude for every moment of this all-too-short, ever-changing life.
Treva had the same opportunity to change her life last year when she was offered a great job in San Diego. She dared to dream it was possible and then made it happen – and she did it alone! She packed up her belongings, made the leap and now she is a happy Californian with a job she loves and a beautiful home. She loves her new life! …AND before she moved to San Diego she drove around the United States on her own “Great American Road Trip” in a convertible Porsche for an entire month – and she did it alone! She saw amazing sights across this great land, met awesome people along the way and rediscovered her inner calm and happiness. She, like Amelia Earhart, is the real pioneer! You may read about her epic adventure at:
30states30days.wordpress.com
“The truth is that the world is full of dragons, and none of us are as powerful or cool as we’d like to be. And that sucks. But when you’re confronted with that fact, you can either crawl into a hole and quit, or you can get out there, take off your shoes, and Bilbo it up.”
~Patrick Rothfuss
I hope you have the opportunity to change (if that is what you wish) and to dare for a better life. I hope you “Bilbo it up.” I hope you find your genie-in-a-bottle and wish for whatever magical transformation makes you happy. I hope you find the time to go out and see the natural beauty of America. I hope you find gratitude in every moment of your life. Most importantly, I hope you hope.
The gam continues…
I’m so excited to see this trip through your eyes. Photography has been such a fun thing for us. I love sharing what we see and each others perspective on different sights. You gave me the strength to take my trip, to take the time to find out who I was, and to decide where I needed to be. Only a year ago today, we walked on the pier in Clearwater Beach, stopped and had a carrot cake milkshake, floated with a gnome at the pool, saw ginormous grasshoppers, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset at a park in Hudson, FL. None of it was planned, we just found treasures around every corner. AND California wasn’t even a thought yet. I’m so proud of you for taking the leap of faith to discover whatever lands in front of you. So go boldly and bravely and BILBO it up!
Thank you for your love and support. See you on the other side! :*}
Great post and can’t wait to read about the trip. Also going to read 30days30states. 🙂
Thanks for following along! Enjoy the journey! 🙂