Time to start living again

Thirteen years ago, I made a huge change in my life. It started with me quitting my job at Citibank and deciding to go back to college to become a teacher. Obviously, it was a time of great change for me. Around the same time I was feeling adventurous and alive, and I had also set my mind on going to Italy for the first time. I was determined, and worked out ways to save enough money to pay for the trip and for college.

 Life for me was way different back then. Of course, I was younger, but I was also in an established relationship and things were much easier in a lot of ways. A lot of things have changed for me in the years since, and I've been feeling like I've stopped being adventurous. My pal Rich says it's natural to become a little more conservative as you get older, but hell, I'm not that old! A couple of years ago I decided that I was at a crossroads in my life. I was contemplating selling my house and moving to New York City, something I'd still like to do, but unfortunately the economy got in my way. Ever since that time, I've felt a little lost, just living life trying to stay afloat financially...and not taking chances. It's affected my social life as well, where I've made myself too busy for any sort of romance, shunning people away without really giving them a chance. In other words, I've been playing it safe and keeping myself busy to make sure of that, which to me is not living. With that said, I'm hoping that things are about to change...

Me and Jorge at his farewell party

It all started with a Facebook chat with my friend Jorge, with whom I had become a really good friend of mine a few years back. Jorge had decided upon losing his job that he was destined to return to his native country Chile, and two and a half years ago, he made that brave move (and I got his car!). Luckily, we've had Facebook to keep in touch ever since and be kept up on one another's lives. A couple of weeks ago I decided to ask him how he was doing...out of the blue. 

That question turned into a mini-conversation, and of course, the "When are you coming to Chile?" question came up. I responded that I'd love to visit and that maybe I'll start saving my pennies. At the time, it was just a requisite answer, but later on that night I laid in bed thinking about my trip to Italy and going back to college and well, what not. I decided that I wanted to do it...go to Chile. Maybe it would be another jumping off point for me, a new way for me to grab life by the balls and just live it. I messaged Jorge the next day to tell him.

Are you f'ing kidding me?, was his immediate response.

I assured him that I wasn't, and we decided to speak within the next couple of weeks to discuss it.  Finally last night I had the chance to speak with Jorge live and in person and he was as excited about me coming as I was about going.  As we spoke, I booked my reservation.

So I am going to Chile, South America, the other side of the world.  It'll be a long flight, but I'll worry about that when it comes.  I'll be visiting Jorge and his partner Rodrigo during the Christmas break, and I'll be there for both La Navidad and the New Year.  If you had asked me even just a month ago if I ever thought I would ever go to Chile, I would've said probably never, but here I go.  I think it's time to start living again!

Stay tuned...

Tweet