(Another) New Beginning, Coming Right Up

Good morning, God!

Thank you for this new day of ours.  It's a new world today, and it's asking me to do something new with it, though I'm having a hard time figuring out just what that is.  I haven't written to you in several years now, and I know why--the teaching jobs that I've had here in Colorado have all been extremely difficult, forcing me to spend much more time on things like class preparation than I really should have had to spend.  The stress level has been super high, and I've been so completely wrapped up in the classes that other things have fallen by the wayside.  Add to that the two hours in the car every day this past year, and it hasn't exactly been a positive way to end my teaching career.

But end it I have--I think.  My wife and I are preparing to move back east soon, and I've quit what I hope is my last teaching job.  It's far too stressful any more, far too intense, far too everything, it seems.  I'll miss the students, of course, but that's life--one moves on.  Me staying wouldn't help them at all, I believe, so there's no real reason to continue to teach other than the income, and replacing that income is simply a risk that I'll have to take.

So I find myself now in an interesting situation--no job, plans to move, not a whole lot of money, but enough for us to last a while.  It's kind of nice knowing that I'm not going to have to be creating class plans out of thin air this coming year, and my sincere hope is that I'm going to be able to do more writing and do more of the things that I love doing, like hiking and biking and going for long walks.  Of course, we need to leave Craig first, and that won't be possible until our house sells.  Two sales have fallen through already, so that's starting to get a bit stressful itself.

In any case, thanks for this new day.  I hope to make it a very special one any way that I can.

A reply:

You're welcome for the day, as always.  I'm glad that you have the perspective that each new day holds the same promises for you, gives you the same opportunities to make it something special.  As long as you do your best to make it such a day, then such a day it shall be.

Your risks are very real.  It can be agonizing to wait around for something like a house selling, but so many things have to fall into place that it's very difficult for such a thing to happen quickly.  You have neighbors that you want to be happy with the new neighbors who take your house; you're going to be in town even after the closing, and many other factors will contribute to the final sale.  An August first closing would have been very difficult for both of you, so it didn't happen.  That only makes sense.  So please be patient, and have faith that things will turn out as they're supposed to turn out.

Yes, you do have an opportunity now to explore aspects of who you are that you haven't explored in quite a long while.  I would just say that you must explore them kindly, without judging yourself harshly on the results.  Look for effective and creative ways to express yourself, and look for effective and creative ways to help others, and you'll always be on the right track.

Risk is risk, and it's definitely an important part of life.  You've taken many more risks in your lifetime than most people ever will, and you've always landed on your feet.  So keep it up.  It may look difficult and it may be daunting, but the risks in your life will be what you look back on fondly, once the results of those risks become clear to you.

Enjoy your day today while you make it a very special one.