The Best Things in Life

I looked around an apartment stacked high with unpacked boxes and wondered what I had gotten myself into.  

When I'd made the decision to move, I'd felt confident that it was the right choice.  My job had been secure, but with little chance of advancement.  I wanted to continue my education, but lived hours away from the closest university. I spent my nights working in a position that had limited human contact and my days caring for my toddler and trying to catch a little sleep.   Far too little sleep.  I was constantly exhausted and knew that something had to change.  

A year of searching for another position convinced me that I wouldn't find it in my rural and economically depressed community.  I began to widen my search.  When I was offered a position with a university, it seemed like a dream come true.  I would even receive free tuition benefits.  The dream had just one catch; it was over four hundred miles away from my family and friends. I decided to take a risk.

In the first weeks after my move, the dream seemed more like a nightmare.  My initial childcare plans fell through.  A change in the university's job structuring eliminated the position for which I had been hired.   My daughter missed her grandparents and cousins. I would have gone back home, but my old job had already been filled. So I got another job at the university, found a new babysitter for my daughter and began to turn my box-stacked apartment into a home.

Within a few months time, I knew I had made the right decision.  My daughter adjusted quickly and spent hours playing with her new friends.  Despite the bumpy start, I adjusted too.  I made friends and pursued my education.  I found the new job was an even better fit than the one I'd originally been hired for. 

Looking back, I can see that one move had a profound impact on the course of my life.  I learned how to take risks.  I found I could face adversity and do far more than survive.  The experience sharpened my sense of adventure and made me realize the fruitlessness of worry.    The best things in life aren't always free, but they are worth the risk.