With another year upon us, many people turn to New Years resolutions. Never one to head down that path, I am instead inspired by our friend, Sarah’s decision to assign 2015 an adjective that describes how she is currently seeing her place in the world. While her word was expansion, I find myself most closely connecting to Transformation.
“There are years that ask questions, and those that answer.”~
2015 marks several milestones on our road of life. Jim turns 50 years old this spring. Interesting isn’t it, how an age that once seemed the true mid-point of life, becomes simply another number when you find it’s your turn to have the calendar reveal a half a century of life? Still charmingly youthful, pictures of twenty years ago compared to now show little change (damn him! I am quite obviously older!), and he is still the wonderful, sweet man I married.
This year also marks our 25th Wedding Anniversary. Oh, the big SILVER anniversary. If we actually bought each other anniversary gifts, who knows what this might bring. Luckily, our anniversary’s are always geared around travel, whether it be a foreign destination or a camping trip close to home. Twenty-five years. Who would have thought the years would pass by so quickly as it seems only yesterday we were those fresh faced 20’somethings exchanging vows?
More importantly, 2015 marks the year we plan to transform our lives, yet again. For the last five years we have been itching to get back on the road. Certain that our paths are meant to be played out on the ancient roads marking foreign places. The timing for such life change is never perfect. No, we aren’t as far ahead financially as we would like. No, we are in no way thrilled that more than one leak means a new roof on the house before it goes on the market. Such is life and we finally realized we can wait no longer. To continue to spend the majority of our days in a life we no longer want is draining our spirit. And so, 2015 is our new launch point to the future.
In the course of this transformation, I have been cleaning out, reducing, going through the endless boxes and files that hold our past. I have looked at thousands of pictures of us, from the skinny kids that met in 1988 to the recent pictures from camp. I see the ebbs and flows of different haircuts and colors, for me, and the mustache, beard, or clean shaven images of Jim. I see just how we have changed over time. And my final transformation is to get back into shape. No, I am not making that all too familiar resolution to lose 10lbs or the typical nonsense. My goal is to eat less, walk more, always take the stairs and sit on the floor whenever possible. I look at the pictures of us on our RTW, positively glowing with the joy of the adventure, while also being slimmer and healthier versions of what I see today in the mirror. I want that woman back. I want to be as comfortable crammed onto the floor of a chicken bus as I am in a luxury hotel. I want to move easily. I want to feel fit and comfortable in my skin.
We have no marked departure date because too many variables exist. And yet we are certain that the year ahead is a year that answers the questions that have been swirling through our minds for too long. We don’t know how it will all play out, and that is okay. We have faith. Faith that the universe will provide. Faith that we are just as smart and talented and determined as those who are already out there making it work. Faith that opportunities will present themselves, possibly in the most unexpected fashion. Faith that this is the life we are meant to live.
2015 we will transform our lives, our bodies, our location and our dreams. I can’t wait to get started!
