Life Goes On
This weekend Ron and I carried the grill from our garage inside the townhouse, up the stairs, and out onto the balcony off our kitchen. We moved our patio couch out there too. Tonight we sat outside with a glass of wine, the dog at our feet, the smell of sizzling hamburgers in the air.
“Ahhhh,” I said, looking out over the railing. “A lovely view of the abandoned Giant grocery store.”
“And don’t forget the liquor store over there,” Ron pointed.
Right then a car pulled up to a dark corner of an empty parking lot where we’re pretty convinced drug dealers meet.
A little over two years ago we grilled outdoors all the time. Our “old” place overlooked the Pacific Ocean in Malibu, California. We weren’t rich – not by a long shot – but at the time I happened to work as a lawyer for a university that is located on some prime real estate in Southern California and that also happens to provide on-campus housing to its employees.
I left my job to become a freelance writer. To make a long story short, my decision played a big role in leading us to this east coast rental property overlooking the abandoned Giant.
I made the right decision.
I made the right decision.
I made the right decision.
I tell myself this over and over again.
In my heart I know what I say is true. I love my job. Every single day I’m grateful that I’m paid (albeit not much) to spend my time doing something I enjoy and care about so deeply. And besides, our view may not be great tonight, but we're having fun. And soon we’ll be grilling out on our deck in Colorado at our retreat home (the above picture is not our exact view, but it's darn close). We never would have a retreat home unless I had taken the plunge into a writing career (another long story).
My mom likes to tell me there are no right or wrong decisions, just decisions. And you make the best of them. Well, right or wrong, the decision to become a writer and the decision to buy a retreat home instead of a place on the east coast were good ones. I can feel it all the way deep into my bones.
“Ahhhh,” I said, looking out over the railing. “A lovely view of the abandoned Giant grocery store.”
“And don’t forget the liquor store over there,” Ron pointed.
Right then a car pulled up to a dark corner of an empty parking lot where we’re pretty convinced drug dealers meet.
A little over two years ago we grilled outdoors all the time. Our “old” place overlooked the Pacific Ocean in Malibu, California. We weren’t rich – not by a long shot – but at the time I happened to work as a lawyer for a university that is located on some prime real estate in Southern California and that also happens to provide on-campus housing to its employees.
I left my job to become a freelance writer. To make a long story short, my decision played a big role in leading us to this east coast rental property overlooking the abandoned Giant.
I made the right decision.
I made the right decision.
I made the right decision.
I tell myself this over and over again.
In my heart I know what I say is true. I love my job. Every single day I’m grateful that I’m paid (albeit not much) to spend my time doing something I enjoy and care about so deeply. And besides, our view may not be great tonight, but we're having fun. And soon we’ll be grilling out on our deck in Colorado at our retreat home (the above picture is not our exact view, but it's darn close). We never would have a retreat home unless I had taken the plunge into a writing career (another long story).
My mom likes to tell me there are no right or wrong decisions, just decisions. And you make the best of them. Well, right or wrong, the decision to become a writer and the decision to buy a retreat home instead of a place on the east coast were good ones. I can feel it all the way deep into my bones.
posted by Jenny at 9:27 PM
10 Comments:
It takes courage to make the decision to give up security for the (somewhat) unknown. Freelancing takes time to build -- as I'm sure you know -- but it does build.
Can't wait to hear about the retreat home story!
8:39 AM
You made the right decision Jenny! Like your very smart mother saud, "There are no wrong ones."
Love that!
You learn at every turn and move from where you are in the moment.
11:00 AM
Like Michelle said, I like how you mom says, "...no right or wrong decisions.." You do what you do to be happy. How many people take that risk? To leave a "good" job and embark on the unknown.
If my factory job didn't merge and downsize/lay people off, I would have been still wasting away there, unhappy, but not wanting to leave because of the vacation time and seniority I had.
In the end, 15 years seniority didn't help. Most factory workers are laid off with 25 years of semiority. They are in their fifties, starting over.
Kudos to you for finding something you love doing. Again, how many people can say that they love their jobs?
4:40 PM
It takes courage to make big moves. And I think your mom has a great attitude about decisions!
12:18 AM
I bet you'll have that retreat home long after you've moved away from this townhouse and a 7-11 has moved into the abandoned Giant.
Right now, enjoy the wonderful view you have: of each other and the dog!
10:30 AM
I like that you chose gratitude for what you have now...a beautiful retreat home and time to get to it.
11:35 AM
So glad you and Ron are seeing the view together. Even if you had a terrific view, it wouldn't be worth it if you were too busy or tired to look at it or if you had to enjoy it all alone.
When you see the abandoned store, just remember the fantastic spa in Mexico that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't become a writer.
8:22 PM
What courage. There are no mistakes. There are no coincidences.
9:26 AM
You have to do what you believe in, and always chase your dreams.
While chasing mine, I lived above my car repair shop, with crack dealers across the street. And I lived in a 10x10 space on an old boat.
But in the end, it was worth it, and I'm glad I did.
I can understand your desire to change from a lawyer to a writer. My own dream is to make a contribution to the world, and also support myself by writing. To have any chance, you must believe it and never let go.
Even if you have to live in a crummy place.
11:20 PM
You absolutely made the right decision and are an inspiration to those of us less brave!
12:45 PM
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