I’ve been dealing with some discontent lately with approaching 40 and not living up to the dreams I set out for myself as a young girl. This mental journey has led me to find great value in learning to love where I’ve landed.
I grew up in a small town 30 miles south of Salt Lake City. It was far from glamorous and with parents who instilled in me that I could do anything I set my mind to, I developed big dreams.
I couldn’t wait to grow up and get out of that town. Like many of us, I wanted bigger and better than what I had.
I dreamed of living in New York City and pursuing my dreams of becoming an actress. Even setting those big dreams aside, I was certain I would move out of my hometown and on to more exciting adventures.
When I was approaching my junior year of High School I had the opportunity to attend a performing arts school in Manhattan. At the last minute, I got cold feet and decided to stay home.
As I got older my dreams softened and although I still longed to get out of my small town, I became comfortable with staying in Utah. I had also grown to value the support of my loving family and longed to be close to them.
In my early days of marriage, we ironically built our first home in the same town I grew up in. A few years later we moved a short twenty miles away. In those years I slowly found content in everything that I had not valued in my youth.
I began to recognize the beauty of my surroundings and found comfort in the safety of our community.
Thirteen years into marriage and family life I got a job opportunity in Boise, Idaho. I’ll be honest, if I despised Utah growing up, I thought Idaho was even lamer. Without any real knowledge, I viewed Idaho as the land of potatoes, cows, and not much to do. Idaho in my mind was not chic, not cool, and not a label of success as I had viewed places like New York or L.A.
I’ll admit, sometimes I have even viewed past friends and acquaintances on social media who have settled in these big glamorous cities and I’ll think, I wish I landed there. That was my dream. That’s what I was supposed to do.
What I have learned in landing in a place I never thought I’d be is that there is great beauty in the unexpected. If you’ve never paid a visit to Boise, Idaho you are missing out. Today I floated down a breathtaking river that runs through the city. It’s not uncommon to see squirrels and even deer outside my office and the home I am able to afford in Idaho would be considered luxurious in big cities like Manhattan.
I’ve learned there is great value in learning to love where you land. Not just geographically, but in life.
After my divorce it was easy to say, I don’t want to be here. This is not where I was supposed to land, but as I’ve walked along this difficult road I have learned lessons I never could have otherwise.
I love how I value my time with my children now. I love how I value scraping up enough money to go on vacation with them. I love how I’ve learned to get along and have respect for my ex-husband. I’ve learned grand lessons in forgiveness and humility that I could have never learned in any other way.
Learn to love where you land. Find peace and joy in all things and enjoy the journey. Often times the most beautiful things are found in the most unexpected places.
