I’ve neglected this blog. I would feel guilty about that, but I don’t. The reason for the lack of stories here is I now work a full-time job telling stories.
Before my Ireland/Croatia adventures I worked part-time at MOR Media Inc. in Northeast Arkansas. I was (and still am) building a digital platform that I am pumped about. This opportunity allows me to do what I love (write, take pictures, and serve my community). The only problem then was it was part-time pay. I worked hard hoping that by the time 2020 rolled around I could ask my boss for a full-time position.
But my boss is terrific: she noticed my hard work and shifted me to a full-time roll sooner than I imagined. Now, I’m still working on our digital platform, but I’m also managing our magazine, Premiere.
Talk about a dream I didn’t even dare to dream just seven months ago when I walked away from a good, stable job.
I hoped I could scrape together enough money from freelance work to justify working from home. And I only hoped one day I’d continue to tell stories and make a salary for it. I didn’t succeed at freelancing (not that I’m giving up altogether), but instead I get to write stories and do much more. Managing an established publication means I get to draw on my other skills and passions: coordinating content, taking photos, and creating designs. Many days I also get to work from home.
So I don’t feel guilty for neglecting the blog. However, I DO want to get back to regular updates because I think that even though I am soaring right now (career-wise, relationship-wise, running-wise) I am certain that this is yet another “in-between” phase that’s important to share about.
A few weeks ago (or more than that– whatever), I shared this on social:
“I’m on cloud nine thousand. I’m going to marry my favorite person in the world. We’re building our dreams from the ground up. I landed a job I love. And today, what I thought might be too much to hope for, the cherry on top of the sundae: I got my acceptance to the Boston Marathon.
I. Am. So. Happy. I’m standing on top of this metaphorical mountain thinking “Dang. That climb was worth it.” I know I will not always feel this high. I know life will not always throw me good things. Life is tough, and it’s got at least as many valleys as it does mountaintops. But today I’m just real thankful the mountaintops are out there, for the people that encourage me to climb them, and for the views worth trekking for.
If you’re in a valley, just keep putting one foot in front of the other. That’s how you run a marathon, that’s how you build a dream, and that’s how you climb the mountain.”
I am oh so grateful for all the good things happening right now. My life is currently a dream I don’t ever want to wake up from. (That’s not to say that there aren’t still rough days and hiccups!) But I am absolutely certain that life will not always be this way. Reminding myself of this is not an effort to bring down the mood, but to truly cherish this time. I want to savor these days of being as excited to go to work on Monday as I am for the weekend. I want to revel in gratitude for the opportunity to live in a beautiful house with a man I love while planning our wedding.
If we press through the uncertainty, the moments of doubt and the days of confusion, I am absolutely confident there will be days of beautiful clarity for us all. But they won’t last forever. They will come and then they will go. So while we’re standing on our metaphorical mountains we must remember that the peak full of blessings, good days and sweet memories sits in-between two valleys. The trail will lead back down the mountain. For as long as we are above the tree line, we should remember to enjoy the view.
