Have you found yourself in the middle of a situation that you didn’t plan for?
You had made a plan. A plan to move, a plan to change jobs, a plan to end or pursue a romantic relationship, a plan to do something other than what you were currently doing.
I did just that. Most of you following along know that I have been planning on moving west for some time. To leave Madison, Wi and start anew. I planned to relocate to Minnesota for 6 weeks of summer. Here we are in September and I am still here.
With great joy I want to share with you that I am staying here.
I did not plan to fall in love with this city, with the running here and the awe I find every day. I am taking pride in finding my way around the city without Google maps. I have found my neighborhood coffee shop.
Within my adult life I have never lived near family. I moved to Madison before I was out of High School to attend UW Madison. It was there and then when I got pregnant and stayed to raise my daughter. My sister moved to Minnesota, and my brother still lived back home. So here I am as an empty nester and a mother of a 19 year old daughter, currently not living in the same city as her. But, I am close to my sister and her family. We have become much closer the last few years and being near them seems like the best thing. We have instituted family dinners on Tuesday nights, and I get to babysit. Providing an additional support system for them and myself. The look alone on my youngest nieces face when we told her I was staying was enough to never leave.
Within this place I have found a home. A home that is free of judgement, a home that feels safe, a home that fosters growth with love, respect, and patience. This piece was not part of the original plan, it was in the long game plan. But to be here in the middle of it, there is no going backwards. To be involved in a true partnership is something I have always sought out and had never found until now.
Short and sweet. I am staying.
If you are in Minnesota and want a running buddy or looking for a coach to run with, please do not hesitate to reach out.
