so good to be home

Finding Balance.

A new life

A new way

learning to breathe

in this thick air

in awe of the ease

of life out here

of hearing

of listening

of applying

so good to be home

Week One Update

Ive been here for a week now and Ive been thinking of the words to sum up how this week has been. There have been times when I have been overwhelmed, happy, sick, tired, excited, nervous, and bored. Ive missed my family and friends, and have been making new ones. Ive found a job, and still need another one if I ever want to go shopping again (:

Vancouver still seems to good to be true. I cant believe that I wont be spending a winter in the snow! Im mostly feeling happy, excited and free.

The task

Every time I read Paulo Coelho's blog I get inspired. Here is a link to a quick 1 minute read:

http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/11/03/the-task/

A message in the sky

A double rainbow is a sign that you are about to have something great fall into your lap, and that one good thing will lead to another.

A friendly exchange

The small, adorable, bespectacled man that was working the till at Solly's* turned to me today and said, "Are you from around here?"

I replied, " No, I just moved here yesterday from Calgary."

He gave me a wide grin as he declared, " I could tell. I used to live in Calgary, in Canyon Meadows for 26 years, and I will never return to that city."

"How long have you lived in Vancouver?" I asked in honest interest.

"10 years", he replied, "once you experience a winter out here, ha! you will never go back."

"How did you know I wasn't from around here?" I asked him, still amazed that I was such an obvious outsider. "What can I do to fit it?"

He surveyed me, thought for a while and finally came up with, "Your too happy."

Im not sure what this exchange meant, but I like it.

* Solly's: A jewish bakery and bagelry. Known for their scheamers and knishes. One of my favourite things.

You know things have taken a turn when you start using "Surreal"

First day here, and as much as I hate it, the only word that comes to mind when trying to place how I am feeling is surreal. Ive been working toward moving to Vancouver for such a long time, that now Im here, and I'm wondering why. Why did it seem like such a good idea to move my entire life away from everything I know? Sitting here in my bare apartment with boxes and clothes scattered about its kind of hitting me that I really am starting over. I have to find friends, a job, a community, I have to organize my house, buy new curtains, figure out where to put the garbage and recycling, re-route my mail, make new habits. It seems so overwhelming that all I want to do is curl up, watch movies and ignore everything that I need to do.

The lessons Im learning today are: (1) transitions are hard and (2) renewed understanding for people who don't follow their dreams. Following your dreams require huge amounts of effort and energy and while your in the middle of it you start to question if the pay out is worth the pay back.

Dictionary definition: surreal: Having an oddly dreamlike quality.

Came in with a Bang

Fireworks:

A universal symbol of celebration, renewal, hope, joy. A beautiful light in the darkness.

As we drove into Vancouver on Sunday Night, tired, overwhelmed, and wondering what Vancouver would offer us in this next year, we were greeted by fireworks. Everywhere we looked there were these beautiful explosions of colored light. The night sky was ablaze. As we watched the sky in awe, we felt as though we were being personally welcomed to the city. Through the mirade of lights and sound we were reassured that this was the start of a great year. A year of celebration and joy.