As the decade nears its end, I wanted to vignette some of the moments that most touched my life:
It was February of 2010 and we were driving down the Trans-Canada Highway with as much of my stuff as could fit in the back of a Nissan. My father was behind the wheel, navigating the sheen of black ice while attempting to give me a pep talk that would last nearly the entire duration of my one-way trip. For I was leaving my hometown, my family and friends, and everything I knew up until that point to start a new life in a city I had never even visited before.
From 2004 to 2009, I worked from home operating a small creative consultancy business that partnered with marketing firms on a variety of projects big and small. In October of that final year, a downturn in the economy resulted in the loss of two of my biggest clients. Fraught with anxiety over my future in the field—not to mention the more tangible, immediate stress of how I would pay my bills—I made the decision to re-enter the job market. As I am wont to do, I also made the decision to make other sweeping changes in my life including applying for positions in different cities. The start of a new decade felt like a perfect opportunity to also start a new chapter in my life. And so it was written.
In January of 2010, I boarded a flight for an interview.
Within a few weeks, I got the job.
It happened incredibly quickly and while my initial ambitions achieved exactly what I had hoped, the palpable sense of loss I felt as the light pollution of Winnipeg faded further from view overwhelmed me. I cried so much we had to stop and stay overnight at The Twilight Motel in Moosomin, delaying arrival in my new home by a day. While some may have perceived it as cold, my father’s rational, direct way of supporting me helped open my eyes to the possibilities that laid ahead. At that time, he never openly cried. Even though I knew he would miss me (and worry about me), he only focused on what was best for my personal growth.
The past, predictable and safe, could always be resurrected if I made the choice. My childhood bedroom was available, even if the stuffed animals that once shared it with me no longer existed. I would just have to call.
The future though, open and exciting with so much potential, was what he encouraged.
Reflecting on the past decade and all the memories I’ve cultivated, I made the right choice.