Wanderings: In the Beginning

The seed was planted on a 'business' trip to Maui in 2004. I fell in love with Hawaii and would declare aloud to anyone who would listen, "I'm going to move to Maui and live in a commune." Nearly 12 years later, I'm sitting at a desk in Hilo, on The Big Island in the home of a couple I've agreed to help with housework and Airbnb guests in exchange for a place to stay. Not exactly a commune, and Maui is a tad bit north of me but hey, a seed sometimes sprouts into a thing you didn't know was planted.
 
This past summer, I revisited my 'said it out loud' dream and began to nurture it.  Throughout the early stages of its inception I questioned the soundness of the decision to take such a drastic step.  Then I (accidentally on Facebook...don't ask) let it slip out that I was planning to pick up and 'move' to Hawaii and it seemed there was no turning back. The stars began to align; ideas introduced possibilities, baby steps became leaps of faith and 'maybe' turned into 'why not?' What I initially called running away from home has been upgraded in my mind to a more sophisticated term, sabbatical (because sometimes a little sophistication is called for). It's not a word I would have used to define what I'm doing and it's not the first definition listed in the dictionary, but I've latched onto this simple version as mine: sabbatical, n. any extended period of leave from one's customary work.

It's been a little over a month since I left my steadfast husband, the comfort of my home, my caring friends and sweet goofball puppy/dog. I'll play catch-up for a while with my writings but I promise to keep the people who love me, worry about me, and care what happens to me informed of my wanderings and states of being (well or otherwise) through this blog.  I've been surprised by the number of people who want to know how things are going for me. Of the lessons learned since I left, first was this: I am loved. That's not such a bad way to embark on a long journey:-) And so it began, with a one-way ticket to California...