Change. It’s starting now. Well almost now…next week in fact (as I write this). Or maybe, it’s already started. How do you know when a lifestyle change actually starts? Is it a conscious process or do we wake up one day and realize things have shifted? Probably a bit of both.
Let me try this again. Change. Most of it was planned. There’s a big change next week. After a long career in IT I’m retiring and it’s time for, well, a change. Teresa has been waiting patiently for this for a while. Time to do something different. The last big change was only last month. We became homeless. That sounds serious but it was planned. That it came a month early wasn’t. The big change before that was a few years back. Teresa and I both gave up home ownership and became renters. And we became renters closer to where I worked…close enough in fact that I could walk. No home ownership, no commuting. We saved money. We saved time. Teresa retired. Life became less stressful and we liked it that way. Huge change.
And from there, the conversation drifted towards….what’s the next change? Retirement for me? Sometime soon. What are we going to do? Not sure. Travel? Yes. Buy a home? Ummm, not right now and especially not here in the Vancouver area. Prices are way too crazy. Where then? Not sure but let’s take some time and figure it out. Maybe there are other places that are cheaper to live, have a better climate, and are more relaxed? That would be the travel part. Then the smaller changes just started to happen. The garden shed became a storage shed. Renting here became why not rent somewhere else? Simplifying our lifestyle became lets get rid of a lot of unnecessary baggage. Dates got picked, airline tickets were bought, accommodation was planned. And one day it was all laid out…there, done…change. How did that happen?
The change after next week? On top of being homeless AND jobless? Well that will be the start of the journey to…elsewhere. And we will try to make an effort to write about it. The places we go, things we see, the hotels and airBnBs, the people we meet and the food we eat. It’s one thing to travel around with a pack when you are 18, quite another when you are 65. Should be interesting. Can’t wait!
As they say, change is constant, planned or not. Most of us though, go through life avoiding constant change. Hmmmmm….
/g&t
If this is the beginning we will look forward to following you on your.
Wow so very excited for you both………Change is awesome, change is an adventure and change is important.
Enjoy your adventures, we are so excited to be able to have a glimpse into where you go and what you see.
Congratulations Gary And Teresa on your retirement and your upcoming adventure. enjoy each and every moment.
Love and Hugs Lori and Ken
As I immersed myself in the devastating image of change above, I thought of how beautifully it captures the way we are inextricably linked to the changes of the land and the herd we roam with; the earth, the people around us. As the land changes so do we. As our social circle changes so do we. Little by little a part of us dies each day, only to be reborn the following. I admire you both for undertaking this bold journey of self discovery. Writing and travel force us to take a hard look at ourselves. You are doing both, and then sharing it with others. Thank you for this! What a paradox change is, both gradual and sudden. It is true that some avoid change. The once familiar image looking back in the mirror has morphed into something else, thus we’ve become lost to ourselves. It is a blessing to marvel at the nuances of change, as the process of becoming a fully realized sentient being. Whole while in broken pieces.
Thanks for the beautiful description of change. We’re glad you’re enjoying the blog.
Gary & Teresa…
It’s a sunny and warm (for this time of year in Toronto) Sunday as we sit on our deck enjoying cocktails and start your blog.
Two great images to start it off with…the closeup of the elephant, and the disintegrating (or should that be integrating?) horse in the midst of change.
And then, into the words and ruminations. Gary, from Dilbert tucked away in an IT cubicle, who knew you’d blossom into the next Paul Theroux?
Looking forward to following your blog.
Cheers!
M&K
Thank you Milt and Kelly,
Kind words, much appreciated and we’re glad you like the blog. I wouldn’t put me in that sort of class but thanks. People have said they like the writing so maybe there’s another side I need to explore. I can’t take credit for the images though as that’s Teresa’s department. The photos are a joint effort but the look and feel of the blog is hers. A good team yes?
Cheers