Plot Twist

As the wind blows, nothing stays the same. Always moving, always pushing, sometimes not in the direction you expect, but perhaps the direction you need. 

The winds pushed me, Reader, right into a new direction. Tuesday was the end of my Tiny Town era.  I'm now a yoga-pant-wearing, home-meal-cooking stay at home UnWife. 

It was completely unexpected, except maybe I should have expected it, because I truly believe the Universe listens. And for three years I've been talking to it, expressing my distress and unhappiness and my every-day anxiety about my job at Tiny Town. 

While my job sounds like it should have been a good time, the stress far outweighed the perks. I haven't slept well on a Sunday night in three years. 

Since Tuesday, I've never slept better. 

It wasn't personal, or just me - I had good company in the layoff.  Seventeen in total, I've been told, spread out throughout the organization.

Funnily enough, when I heard that morning that there were going to be layoffs, I said "Are they taking volunteers??" Joke was on me, and I didn't need to volunteer after all.

It had to happen, Reader. Just a month or so ago, I was driving in to work and passed a car accident and said in my brain, "Man, I wish that was me. Not enough to be seriously injured, just enough for a few weeks to a month out." 

The Universe was listening, but spared me the accident.

I hope it's still listening because I'm telling it all sorts of things about what I want in my next chapter.  

I've got a giant to-do list now that I have unexpected time.

Painting. 

Writing. 

Fixing. Getting to the parts of the house that have never quite got organized since I moved here. 

Budgeting.

Visiting. 

Cooking.

Exercising.

Dancing.

Lunching. With my tribe that I've missed so much these past three years. 

Vacationing. Yes, you read that correctly. I've had a trip planned since last April, and now I get to go on it without the stress of time off. 

I have the new stress of money, and I'm not making light of that, but I'm really not as worried. Somehow it will all just work out.

My dad recounted his story of unemployment, 45 years ago. Stay-at-home pregnant wife, 2 kids.  He got laid off on May 1st, my brother was born May 11th. Out of work 22 months. And guess what? Fast forward 45 years and the whole family made it through, none the worse for wear, and my dad has been enjoying retirement for many years already. 

It will work out. 

I'm employable. I'm a great asset to have in any company.

I can write. I may be famous by this time next year, Reader. 

Probably not, but you never know. 

I'm not ruling anything out at this point. 

Because as the winds change, so does life. 

Right at this moment, I'm enjoying the new direction.