I still have the photo as my screensaver of the view outside the hotel we stayed at last November to December with hued-leaf trees on a distant green along a dappled, sunlit river pond where the ducks and geese nibbled bits of hard boiled egg peacefully from my outstretched fingers.
It was then only a forming dream acknowledged that we’d be able to leave the mountain, and my instincts said to just keep moving, to just create a pattern of traveling back and forth along the swath between there and here to create reality out of intention.
When summer came this last July, we headed North again to visit the area for my youngest’s birthday. We were delighted by our reception in a local upscale thrift store that helps provide funding for women escaping domestic violence.
The character and quality of the people we interacted with there – their friendly cheer and sensible discussions – reaffirmed our by then long held assessment that where we’d been stuck was indeed toxic for us, and that here was a better life possible for us.
Inspired, and for fun (just to see what would happen), youngest filled out an application at his dream place for working – and was immediately hired for two days a week, soon expanded to three. We had hit that fabled “right timing.”
This locked down our resolve to relocate, and we began commuting for his job for these few days every week. His income paid for the hotel room stays, and with food stamps and the occasional small disbursement from my mired unemployment claim, we cobbled a way to bridge over what before had seemed the impossible.
After some time of searching and networking while mapping out the region, we found a small, level unit to rent that opens to nature in front and back entrances, and a landlord who saw our inherent worth as decent, well meaning contributors, and allowed us to move in with our animals without even running a credit check – although I did provide her with excellent character references.
Meeting her and being welcomed Home with friendly, open arms was like God sending us His blessing of this miracle.
Lose ends and break downs happened along our transitioning, but as of now, we can firmly dig in and put every needed effort into our prospering.