rainbowkinect

Change is inevitable. Change is frightening. Change is uncertain, and yes, chain is predictable.

For the last few months, I’ve embarked on my own special journey. Off the cuff, my son unwittingly remarked, as he said goodbye, “Enjoy your eat, pray, love adventure.”  No truer words were ever spoken.

As the seasons change, Summer morphs into Fall and Winter quickly overshadows Autumn, my mood, energy level, and sense of dread slowly but surely surfaces.  I HATE winter. Over the years, I start whining when the first chill hits the autumn air. Every year I promise myself that as soon as I retire, I’m moving to the promised land, FLORIDA! As my retirement became a reality, the thought of moving to Florida was suddenly filled with uncertainty. After all, I had a wonderful life on Long Island, a great family, supportive friends and an active life. But yet I wanted something more or did I?

For many reasons, my husband was unable to join me on my first “snow bird” experience south. The thought of not going never entered my mind but the thought of making the 1100 mile trip alone did cause me a moment of hesitation; but only a brief moment. As a seasoned sales professional, I’ve taken many solo trips and traveled all over the country so fear of traveling alone was not the issue. My only fear was whether or not I would be able to stay awake!  In preparation, I found many sites on the internet that not only mapped out the route but also provided recommendations for pit stops along the way.  I’ve become a huge fan of audio books so off to the library I trekked, borrowing enough CDs from my favorite authors to keep me company along the way.

As I said my goodbyes and headed south, I knew my family, although worried, was happy that I was fulfilling my dream. I too, could not believe that I was actually stepping out in faith,  without knowing if the next 2 months would be all that I envisioned because in reality I was leaving myself open to the universe without a clear vision. What I did know was that if I succumbed to uncertainty, doubt or fear, and allowed those emotions to prevent my going, the ramifications of that decision would have been enormous.

My 16 hour road trip to Florida was amazing. The peace and joy I felt indescribable. The company of me was actually enjoyable. I had time to think, be selfish, stop when I wanted to and not stop when I didn’t.  I laughed out loud with the audio book characters or tried to predict “who dunnit”. The hours miraculously flew by, as I made the drive in 6 to 7 hour increments,n stopping off in Emporia, VA, to visit a favorite cousin, and the city of Savannah before making it to my final destination.

All during my 1100 mile trip, friends and family did wellness checks to make sure I was safe and sound. The love and support were heartfelt and so appreciated. As I checked in and made my way into my new home away from home for the next few months, I knew all was right with the world. My eat, pray love journey was about to begin and I was definitely going to enjoy the ride.