Tea and bicycling, two of my favorite things. The cover of this month's Adventure Cycling magazine features a woman riding her bike through the rolling hills of a tea plantation. It's gorgeous and very green! It makes me long for a tea tour to Asia. This has been my plan for my next sabbatical, in two years. My company is generous in that, every 7 years, employees get 2 months off (in addition to vacation). No strings attached. Just go and refresh and come back and be productive.
This dream of an Asian tea tour during sabbatical has been shaken. The work mothership calls me home, so to speak; it wants me to move. The song refrain, "Should I stay or should I go?" plays daily through my head. Weighing pros/cons, balancing heart/logic, squelching fears/negativity, cultivating gratitude/trust...these are where I'm spending much of my free time in thought. Even progress on my tea book has come to a halt as I figure out next steps for my future.
Fortunately, the DH and I are working through this together, much like two cyclists on a tandem, pedaling in rhythm, standing and sitting together, working our way through the hilly tea plantation. It's not easy, but if I take a deep breath and look around to where I am right now, this very moment, all that I have, it is beautiful.
It sounds like you might be thinking about leaving Bloomington... Oh no!
ReplyDeleteWow, if my company had that two-month sabbatical rule, I would get ... hmmm ... six months off if they made it retroactive! But two months is quite generous! (Not a reason in and of itself to stay at a job, though, in my opinion.) Good luck with your decision making. I know you will act with wisdom!
ReplyDeleteHi Steph,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have a big decision to make. I'm sending good thoughts your way that you will be guided to a place where you will know the right choice to make. It sounds like you are very blessed to have a partner by your side to help you and support you with your life choices. I recently read a Daily OM that talked about where our "home" truly is and that is within us. As someone who will be moving for the third time in 6 years very shortly, I found this very comforting to think about.
Take care,
Karen
I know what ever choice you make will be the right one. Best to you on your new adventure where ever it leads.
ReplyDeleteI relate to your post today...important and long range decisions can be difficult. So good that you have a partner to think things through with, and its good that you are living in the now...today really is all we have. I wish you time and energy to finish your tea book...sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteGod bless,
Mary
Best of luck to you Steph!
ReplyDeletebeautifully written! Hang in there! Everything happens for a reason...we may not know it now, but the right decision will present itself!...it's very difficult to wait, though! Love you!
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