New Life

Quite a few people have been choosing this term lately when referring to my circumstance....."adjusting to my new life". When I actually sit down and reflect on what the words mean, it is ironic. I mean, we only have one life. We are born into this world once. We don't get a second life or a new life. We have the same old life that we had, only different. That said, we may get a second chance at making a different life, whether we like it or not.

I prefer to say making a different life for myself. The key to that phrase is "for myself". For the past 6 weeks, and actually for the 5 months prior to that, I have been carving a new path in my life journey, because, after all, it is a journey.....my journey....an unshared journey with unique experiences. Each day presents something new to challenge me, be it small or large, and somehow I'm not doing to badly.

I have earned a few things about myself that I never knew before.

• I can live alone (well okay, with BJ...because he is the bestest company), and not be lonely.


• In all likelihood, I will not marry again.


• I don't have to eat dinner if I don't want to...and I usually don't.


• I enjoy mowing the lawn....but most of my male neighbours seem to want to help me for some reason....must be the construction boots with the shorts.


• I appreciate how my next door neighbour looks out for me like he's my brother....at least that's how I refer to him....


• I like how my furniture doesn't really match...but it doesn't have to...just sayin'.


• I am pretty good at assembling things...even though I may curse at the inevitable hiccups.


• I love destroying things....even though I may, again, curse at the inevitable hiccups.


• Power tools still scare me, but less so....now they empower me somewhat....and nothing has fallen down yet either.


• The men in the hardware store no longer look for the man of the house to talk to. Now they have to deal with me and my string of inevitable questions. Poor them.


• I get to work out at 3 different gyms, and I have tripled the number of people that I have met by doing so...and, yes, they are learning to experience Mau.


• I love accompanying the band every week. That has been, and continues to be my escape pod.....and now I even have my own bag of instruments....so look out.


• I love my backyard space, with the Bluejays, Cardinals, Chickadees, Hummingbirds, Chipmunks, and Squirrels. I even know where the vegetable garden will go....eventually.


• Backyard campfires are nice at night...especially the past few chilly evenings.


• I like Tiki torches in my garden..Tiki torches are cool....the tribe has spoken.

I am thankful for this once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am grasping it with both arms extended.