Shaken up….in the most positive way!
There’s nothing like a bit of a shake up to make you appreciate what you have. This might sound a bit bonkers, but I really feel like all the recent upheaval has made me re-evaluate things a little and made me realize that it’s NOW that counts. Carpe Diem and all that – we have to live TODAY. I’m really seeing things through almost new eyes and am determined to make the most of every day. I don’t know what’s round the corner, none of us do and with that in mind I’m going to jolly well get off my (slightly) fat derriere and go out and enjoy life.
Yesterday this involved a lovely walk with my husband.
One again it made me realize – as I had when out running on Friday – how enormously lucky I am to live where I do. I always feel that it’s a bit surreal that an inner city working class kid from Newcastle has ended up living here in Switzerland. Sure I worked hard to get where I got, but honestly, what were the chances that I would move to San Francisco with my job and sit next to a Swiss guy on my first day at work and end up 25 years later married to him and living in a village in the Zürcher Oberland? One in 8 billion? Maybe not quite that high, but it must be heading in that direction. One of those things in my life where I look back and see that my whole subsequent life has been the result of one or two pivotal events that frankly could have turned out any other way. What if I hadn’t been sitting in the office in Guildford one day feeling bored and decided to ring the London office to ask about international transfers? What if I hadn’t made the selection? What if DH had gone to New York instead, or had started a year later? What if I hadn’t had an adventurous spirit and been prepared to take the risk? What if….?
Life is a funny thing, don’t you think?
I’m quite glad I didn’t marry the boy next door though! (He was weird, if you’re asking!)
Helen
October 20th, 2013 at 5:02 pm
Sounds like you’re in a contented place right now Helen – loving your positivity 🙂
October 20th, 2013 at 5:22 pm
Serendipity definitely!
October 20th, 2013 at 5:41 pm
I often think about this, how different choices might have changed things. What a beautiful walk you had.
October 20th, 2013 at 6:04 pm
Yep, the twists and turns, choices and coincidences are pretty amazing when you think them through xxx
October 20th, 2013 at 7:54 pm
I try to teach my kids to count their blessings instead of complaining about their little misfortunes. But I guess at the age of 6 one can’t see the whole picture of life. It gets clearer the older you get and yes, I guess that sometimes one needs a little shake up. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and feelings with us. I hope you can feel hugged and a bit comforted “from a distance”.
Sending you much energy and hugs
Christine
October 20th, 2013 at 8:01 pm
I know what you are saying. My work life has changed drastically, going from working 50 hours a week to not working at all and with no prospect of working again at what I was doing but I now have time to do all things I’ve wanted to do for ages. I will also being looking after my older parents and my grandson when he is born in January.
October 20th, 2013 at 9:08 pm
What a beautiful area to live in. I’ m glad you are feeling emotionally well, too.
October 21st, 2013 at 1:31 am
Definitely a beautiful place to have ended up! It’s amazing how one thing leads to another and the unexpected happens
October 21st, 2013 at 8:50 am
Great post – but it also sounds like you have lived your life in the moment a lot over the years and good for you. I once had someone ask me why I travelled around Europe on my own the first tiem I went. I replied that if I had waited for someone else to save the money and come to I might never have gone. Life is for experiencing first hand and thank you for the reminder.
October 21st, 2013 at 12:26 pm
sometimes we need a little shake, I’m just sorry it was that kind of shake. Hugs x
October 21st, 2013 at 7:09 pm
Sometimes you have to just be a little bit brave and go for it. I’m not really very brave. It’s amazing the way little coincidences that seem so unlikely you couldn’t plan for them, have the most dramatic impacts on the way our lives play out.
October 22nd, 2013 at 11:07 pm
Ohhhh, to talk a walk like this. And yes, when we think about the things in our lives that seem random but just might be the loving hand of God guiding us? It gives a wonder and a gratitude to our difficult days. And our easy days! xoxo
October 26th, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Life is very funny, and you made me smile with your crack about the boy next door. It’s certainly pretty country side this time of year where you live, just like out of a storybook.