Life Carries On...

It's often entertaining to look back on old writings. To recall what you were feeling when you wrote certain things. To remember dreaming about the future and what it would be like. And then, inevitably, you begin thinking about how things really did turn out. Sometimes the present is much worse than you thought it would be. Sometimes it's much better. But it's almost never how you imagined.

I decided to Google myself recently. It's good to do that every now and then. If someone looks you up by your name, or by a nickname, what do they find? In trying to find out who I was to other people, I stumbled on this blog as well as an even older one. Reading through the posts I could see --no, feel-- myself writing them. I remember vividly trying to capture the emotions I was feeling, and I begin to feel those emotions again. At no point during those years, did I ever imagine I'd be where I am at this moment. I was content. For much of the few years I wrote consistently, I was at the same job. I moved a couple times, but was still within the same city in north Florida. For much of the time, I was single. Now, things are totally different.

My very last post on my previous blog, explained the reason I hadn't updated in a while. I had met a girl. I had been single for a few years after a nasty breakup. I wanted time to find me. Time to reflect, and to grow. And then, at a time when I cared least about a relationship, I met Peggy. We both worked at a local pizza shop. Her working the counter inside, and me a delivery driver. Over time (and with the help of some family humor) we grew closer and closer together. As of today we're in the middle of year 5, and I wouldn't change a minute of it. Through thick and thin, this wonderful, caring woman has stood by my side. In just a few short months I'm going to marry her. Never thought I'd be here.

Speaking of being "here". That term has changed for me in the last few months. For as long as I can remember, "here" has meant north Florida. In December of 2012, the company I work for transferred my position to beautiful Orlando Florida. Peggy and I packed up our things, and made the move. Moving away from family and friends for the first time in your adult life is scary. I didn't know what to expect, how to handle any situations that might come up, or who to turn to if I needed something. It seems that there's always a plan for us though, even if we can't see it quite yet. I have an old friend that moved down this way (he works for the same company) as well, and I've met some new friends. I never would have imagined that I'd be moving away from everything that felt normal and comfortable. Yet here I am.

I guess that's the wonderful thing about the future. We can never imagine what's going to happen. Whether things turn out better or worse, is in part up to us. Sure we can be dealt bad cards in life. But we can choose how we react to and handle the situation. The last time I sat and wrote I was single, working 2 jobs to make ends meet, and was 10 minutes away from the most familiar things in my life. As much as we'd like things to stay the same, life carries on.

So here I am. In a new city with the love of my life at my side. And you know what? I can't even imagine what's in store for us going forward!