Oddly enough I can not remember the exact date on which I boarded the SAS plane that took me back to Europe. Back for good. I know with certainty that it was in December 1999. And as as the number ten keeps coming up in my mind, I believe that today, the 10th Of December 2009, marks the ten years anniversary for my return back to the continent I call home. If I am right, a decade ago today the plane touched down in Copenhagen airport and I was full of dreams and expectations.
With barely twenty days left to the turn of the century, I was excited about the prospect of a change ahead of me. I was anxious as well, but I expected that the future held a lot of promises and hopes for a new start. My arrival was a culmination of months of preparation. My apartment in North Carolina was filled with boxes in the many weeks prior to my departure. As I frantically got rid of furniture, send my cat Gypsy (on the pictures here) to my sister in Switzerland and reduced significantly my possessions, I was excited as well as mortified.
Today I look back a that time with a blend of a bittersweet nostalgia. None of what I expected happened after my return. In fact, I experienced one of the most difficult periods of my life. Yet today I know, that this was a vital process that was necessary in order for me to get where I am today. Which is a very good place to be, indeed.
Change is the only constant in life. If I have learned anything at all from my past experiences, it is that not all changes that feel good, turn out good in the long run. Similarly, not all changes that feel bad to begin with, turn out bad eventually. But, they are all inevitable and essential. We have to learn to accept the uncertainty that is connected to any changes we make. To alter our lives is at times a leap of faith and takes often a lot of effort and conviction, but it certainly brings our life into motion and makes us aware of new, exciting opportunities. It keeps our present dynamic and moves us relentlessly forward.
I rather take the wrong turns on the road of life, then remain standing still, missing out on the magic just behind the next bend. After all, I am a firm believer in one single fact; "The best is always yet to come..."
26 comments:
It's good to remember the last change we went through, to have the courage and strength to go through the new ones!
Hope this year brought you pleasant changes! I had plenty of good and not feeling good and confusing changes, but I survived it all, making me stronger.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful attitude. The picture of you and Gypsy is beautiful, what a corker (English term for stunning woman) you are! I thought that was BatCat... I guess you have a weakness for b&w cats? :)
Thank you for another wonderful article and a few minutes away from life and work here!
Tom
We could all take a page from your Eternal Optimism Manual. The changes you've made in your life are very inspiring indeed. :)
I think you just summed up my craving for pastures new. I agree with you change is invigorating. My family say I am too restless, but I thrive on "new, exciting opportunities" that change brings.Kath x
life does not always give us what we want, mostly what we need. glad you embrace that uncertainty. i have fond and sometimes painful memories of manymoves in my past, but it all worked out for good...
"A leap of faith" is a good way to express it when you make a change. We never know how things will turn out when we take a chance. But I agree completely that you have to take those chances to get to the place you want/need to be. And yes, sometimes things don't turn out the way we expected, but they turn out the way they were supposed to.
This time last year, I took a huge leap of faith after standing still for way too long. It turned out to be a wonderful life changing leap. It was out of my comfort zone at the time, but I can't imagine not doing it now. When I expressed my trepidation and concerns to someone at the time...her comment was..."that's life girlfriend". And it made me think that life is that way. We take our chances and see what happens...always hopeful.
Right behind death, change is what I fear the most. I am very brave in many aspects, but when it comes to certain changes in life, I'm really scare and face them reluctantly. But you are right. Change is the only constant in life, and should embrace it, despite the result, as it will always enrich our life, in one way or another. Inspiring post Zuzana. It made me think a LOT.
Great post. It's always nice to remember those transitional periods in our life. They very seldom turn out like we want. Sometimes they turn out for the better and sometimes for the worse. I'm glad you are in a good place now. Take care.
A very interesting and meaningful reflection into the Life.
Life is so uncertain and full of mystries and a one way journey ... very little room for mistakes
Wish you a very Happy anniversary of home coming
We have a saying here: " Man plan, God decides". We children of the universe are like little individual snowflakes that dissipate into the ground enmasse or we can be like shooting stars that attract some attention among a galaxy of stars.The better of us I think will just want to keep the only sure lamp of our life glowing because as a traveller in life's journey, we are given the tavern of our heart to warm or brighten up another travelling visitor or companion to the joy of life. Judging from your posts( and this one is oustanding)I think your last ten years must have been worth living. I surely think so. If changes are beyond my control, I believe we better play by the new process. Probably it could be divine intervention.Being optimistic I am totally with you- the best is ALWAYS yet to come."Yes to Life".( Note: Snowflakes are inspired by your blog animation)
I am ready for change. I feel like I have been stagnating for way too long. You have a wonderful attitude. I think I'm afraid.
“It’s snowing”
I thought there was something wrong with my computer until I realized you made it snow on your BLOG. Again your talents amaze me.
I’m a firm believer that indecision keeps us in limbo. Right or wrong decisions have to be made one way or another.
Maybe those lights in the Norway sky were celebrating your 10th anniversary home.
;-)
I had a pyschic reading earlier this year and the guy said he saw lots of change around me until March 2010. I just hope that it doesn't take until then to get another job!!! So yeah, I know all about change being good and bad and never being what you expected! LOL
You know, I remember moving just across town when I bought my house and how overwhelming that was. I can't even imagine what that must have felt like to move by yourself to a diffrent country! You are much braver than I am! I lived in Holland and England when I was a little kid but didn't have to worry about any of the moving details so it wasn't a big deal to me then. Wow, I can't even imagine the range of emotions you must've felt. I hope it turned out to be a happy move.
I too thought that was Batcat in the picture.
You are braver than you know, and to live a full live(as it appears you already have) you have to be brave and step in to the unknown and accept change.
I, too, always believe that the "best is yet to come"(remembering both the good and bad times I already have experienced)and since you do, too, it must be that you have a love of live!! :-)(does this make any sense??)
So..Gypsy was another "tuxedo" cat, like Batcat!! (I used to have my own "tuxedo" cat, Woody, and was just thinking of him the other day)
Wonderful pos, Zuzana. Since life is always about change, I remind myself that the journey *is* the destination. Maybe that is a way of saying that we cannot always change our situation, but we always have a choice: we get to choose how we will respond to what happens. As in forgiveness vs. bitterness, love vs. hate, kindness vs. selfishness etc. Much of this we cannot do in our own strength.
Happy Anniversary. Lovely post of remembrance.
If we don't change we don't live.
Car Goes Boom
So true. The only constant in life is change. And inevitably it seems to occur in unexpected ways. I'm so glad you've found "your happy place."
Brenda
Happy anniversary.
This post of yours really touched my soul. There have been some desperately sad times in my life - more monumental challenges than most will ever experience and there have been days during those times when I felt I just didn't want to put one foot in front of the other but - I did. I did it because I knew that live was just around the corner and that I was curious and wanted to know what was going to happen. Sometimes all we need to live is curiosity for the next day...
Jeannette, BPG, Tom, Hilary, Kath, Brian, LadyCat, Claudia, Keith, Sumandebray, Mahmud, Stevie, Scribe816, sprinkles, Tina, Richard, Nessa, Brenda, lazylick (welcome), Mimi – I value so much that you shared with me your own fears, joy and experience of changes. I read each and every comment carefully and some made me smile and nod, some made me cry and nod too, as I so recognize the sentiment that you share here with me in your words.
I am for ever grateful for each and everyone of your visits. Thank you so much.
xoxo
Zuzana
"I rather take the wrong turns on the road of life, then remain standing still, missing out on the magic just behind the next bend. After all, I am a firm believer in one single fact; "The best is always yet to come..."
Oh, my how this resonates, Zuzana. I've been standing still for far too long and have lost a large piece of my self in that dormancy. I hold on to the belief that "the best is indeed yet to come..." It has to be!
Thanks for sharing this....
I am touched by this post, Zuzana. You have expressed "change" beautifully.
Change took Hubby and I along for quite a ride over the past 7 years, but I couldn't be happier. What I've come to understand is that change isn't chance, and like you wrote - the best is always yet to come.
Enjoy your day, dear friend!
Zuzu
Hi Zuzana-there is amazing and smart attitude in this post, Im gonna keep reading, think I can learn sth important from U.
thanks for stopping by and for Ur kind comment.
x
Maja
You have a great attitude and had a lot of courage 10 years ago to make such a move. To change job is quite stressful but to move to another country must be the top. I hope you will keep being successful and I am sure you will with your way of looking at life.
Rebecca, Zuzu, maja (welcome) and Vagabonde - thank you for your very kind words. I am glad you found something in this post you could relate to, that means so much to me.
Thank you for stopping by,
xo
Zuzana
Post a Comment