I'm so excited for the changes that lie ahead of me right now! It's just now feeling real. I really am leaving my job at the bank in two weeks. I may never find the need to work in a bank again because hopefully in the next year or so, I will be a licensed massage therapist. I really am moving to Keizer and will be incredibly close to most of my family.
It does feel weird that I'm going to live in Salem/Keizer. I haven't lived in Salem since I was ten. I really like cozy, small town living. Even Albany has felt cozy and small town to me the last five years because of our location and all the things I can do within walking distance. So now I'm moving to the big city (yes I know Salem is not the big city, but still...) and I will have to drive all the way down River Rd to get to Fred Meyer instead of just walking down the street. And I will have to drive all the way downtown to get to the library instead of walking a couple blocks down the other street. Oh, the horrors! What will I do? I know I'll get used to it; I don't know if I'll actually like it or not.
Being close to family, though. Mmmm. That will feel good. I've chosen not to go to too many concerts and baseball games and plays because it didn't fit into my schedule to drive 30 or 40 minutes each way to see my nieces and nephews doing all the brilliant things they do. I want to be there more often. I want to know them more, and have them know that I'm there for them because I love them so much. I think the things I'm looking forward to the most are impromptu walks with my siblings, last minute dinner plans with family, inviting friends or family over to our place without feeling bad that they have to drive all the way to Albany, and having people pop by because we're close enough that they can. I'm looking forward to feeling more connected to the the people who are most important in my life, and hopefully making new connections, too.
I'm so excited to see what life will bring as I venture into becoming a massage therapist. My heart is to help people heal and be well and whole. I have so many ideas and plans about how I can do this, and what it will look like, and what I will be like in this role. But I know that I will not really know how it will be until it happens. I just have to wait and see. I look forward to watching this new journey unfold before me, to digging deeper into who I am and just what I can do with the gifts God has given me. To be honest, for just a few days, after I had already given my notice at work, I felt scared, like maybe I was making the wrong decision, maybe it wasn't going to work, and I wouldn't be able to cut it. I just had to take a deep breath and remind myself that I've wanted this for years, that I'm meant to do this. I reminded myself that God told me almost a decade ago that I would use my hands to heal. I know that I am on the right journey.
It's going to be hard to wait until January to start my classes, but I know in the meantime, I will find plenty of things to keep me occupied as we make this transition in life.
