All Things Go, All Things Grow

So my last post was in October... a lot can change in a little time. I wouldn't know where to start or where an appropriate place to end would be if I were to tell you the story of my life in the past eight months, so I won't. Instead, I will tell you where I am today and where I plan to go and grow. I will leave it to you to fill in the blanks, ask the questions you wonder about and imagine all the days that have filled the space between last Autumn and the Summer season of now. In those ways you can conjure the ways I have gone and grown for yourself. If you care enough to read this blog I trust you know me well enough and that knowledge will direct your mind's eye down the right paths. The places where I worried what you though of me have gone, now I simply trust and live.

I will start by saying I am nowhere and going nowhere I had imagined I would be a mere three months ago. All of these things I am embarking on are new to me, new to my plans and ideas of a future. However, they seem to be familiar, the way a child can possess an old soul. These are paths that I have pondered, but have never come to a place where I was prepared to walk them. These are paths that do not present themselves as abrupt, nor particularly different from those I had anticipated going down... though they are different.

I, Courtney, find myself today, on the 23rd of June in the year 2009 at my mother's house. I am single with a heart on the mend and a head held high in expectation for what is next, trusting it is better. I have searched for a job that fits my passions, training, education and talents since November, and have found none (no thanks to 'these economic times'). I have spent some months looking around me for creative ways to grow and move forward. After a season of getting back on my feet I am observing my surroundings, taking stalk of things at hand and finding new opportunities presenting themselves that I would have not considered had it not been for the drastic change in my life's plans.

When I was 20 years old I worked in Hong Kong at Crossroads International. When I was 23 I lived in India for five months. When I was 24 I graduated from UCSD. Now I am 26 and watching in amazement at how all of these things in my life have been preparing me for now.

I have decided to move to Hong Kong and work with Crossroads for a year. In September my best friend Darla and her husband, Vivek, who we met when we were in India, are having their wedding reception. I will be joining them along with my sister and several amazing friends. My return flight originally had a twelve hour layover in Hong Kong, I have modified that to a twelve month layover.

If this seems drastic to you, it is most likely because I have not done a good job keeping up with most people in my life over the past year or so. But then again, it may not come as a surprise to you. Recently I was telling one of my friends that being able to hang out after work depended on when the farmers were able to finish up the harvest. They replied with some smart aleck response like "sounds like such a Courtney job".

I know my life may appear random and chaotic, and yes, sometimes it feels that way. But I assure you, I really weigh my decisions and dwell on them for a long time before making a move. It is just that often I keep that process inside, save for a select few close friends of mine who are lifelong sounding boards. My goal is to let you more in the loop of my mind and decision making and daily interactions with the world.

Why? Well, for several reasons. The main one being, that this next year will require a deep interdependence as I will be looking for partners in my support raising to be at Crossroads. The organization runs on a fully individually funded staff, and I plan on being a part of it. That, however, requires you stepping along side of me to be just as much a part of the work done.

Look over their website and check out the work they do. I am so honored that I will be able to be a part of this work. I see it as an amazing opportunity to align who I am with who I want to be. It is a spiritual move, a career move, and a personal move.

I am so grateful for such amazing people in my life, these past few months have poignantly proven that. If you are actually still reading, chances are you are a dear friend of mine. Thank you for being a part of my life and supporting me in all the ways you already have, be it with friendship and advice, a shoulder to cry on, a companion to walk with, or whatever way you have charmed me enough to keep our friendship going.