October has been a difficult month for me both professionally and personally.
My day job has taxed a good portion of my mental energy. Leaving me too tired to write and work on the side jobs I’ve been neglecting.
The weekends have been busy with patching, on-call work and other projects that somehow bled into so-called off-hours.
And lastly, and certainly not least, something that been building for the past two years or so has happened: My wife and I separated.
I could go into the details and the analysis of what happened and why.
But the end point is the same: The marriage did not work out. And it is time to move on.
I moved someone up to her friends’ house in Victor, ID in the foothills of the Tetons. Over ten hours in a 15′ U-Haul went as well as could be expected when traveling with a soon-to-be-ex-someone and an elderly cat.
Kelly and Jay were beyond kind to me. I enjoyed their hospitality during what must have been an awkward time for everyone involved.
The view from their home up to Teton Pass was enticing. I have not been outside sleeping in the open air and on the ground for a while. Far longer than I prefer.
Once everything was unpacked and put into storage, I enjoyed a walk on a nearby USFS trail.
It was not long. And it was not overnight.
But it was what I needed.
Time to enjoy some peace and the simplicity of the woods if for a brief while.
Work has been beyond busy. The next two Saturday evenings have more projects. And I am on call over Thanksgiving week. I have lost of the gift of time.
But I have some vacation time coming to me.
I don’t know where I am going. Or exactly what I am doing.
I just know I need to be outside.
My life has changed, if by choice.
Plans I made for the future are no longer quite in place.
I regret nothing from the seven years someone and I have spent together.
But I do know that somewhere a canyon, the mountains or some vast wide open space calls.
I will hear the leaves crunch underfoot, Smell the last bit of fall in the air. Savor the warm cup of hot chocolate on a canyon rim.
And be outside.
To think.
Or simply just to be.
Man, sorry to hear that and I hope its all for the better. Take care
Life changes are always difficult — be easy on yourself. And take care.
Paul,
Been there and it is not easy. Let me buy you a beer sometime and if you need a place for Thanksgiving, let me know and I will save you a seat.
I truly appreciate the invite of Thanksgiving. Some other friends already invited me otherwise I’d gladly go. I would love to meet up for a beer and catch up at some point for sure, though.
Hang in there Paul, better days lie ahead.
Paul, sorry to hear about your need for a life change. I hope both you and she are happier for it, although I know that will take some time. Peace!
..and thanks for the kind words from everyone.
Life is good.
Sometimes there are just bumps along the way.