On Leaving Manitoba

Life is full of surprises. A month ago, if you would’ve asked me when or if I was planning on leaving Manitoba, I would say no way! I wasn’t planning on leaving. I wasn’t hoping to move on anytime soon. I knew I wasn’t going to be here in Brandon forever, but I was hoping to stick around for a little bit. But then, life happens.

I won’t really go into the long and short of it, but due to some unseen circumstances, I have decided that my time here is up. I’m packing up and actually heading to Edmonton, where I’m hoping a promising opportunity awaits. It’s going to be hard. I’m dreading saying goodbye to certain people. But also looking forward to a new adventure that is upon me. I’m young, not tied down, and I’m looking forward to writing a new chapter.

Manitoba, and Brandon was an interesting chapter to say the least. It had its good times and its bad times. I think it may be the place that gets me to the place where I need to be. It introduced me to the West, and I’m certainly not done with the West. And at this point, I couldn’t imagine going back to Ontario right now. Someday, maybe.

What will I miss the most? My friends, obviously. Couldn’t have asked for better ones. The weekends up at the lake. The fun trips into Winnipeg. Getting lost in Winnipeg. All the kids at the Humane Society (yes, we call them kids). Doing things I would never do in Ontario, like…going to hockey games or going to the Winter Fair or  grooming a horse and even help a friend look around to buy one. Oh, and the minute drive to work. There are so many other things, but my brain is in crazy packing chaotic mode, so I’m not quite thinking straight!

And now, I’m moving on and I’m going to Edmonton. Very soon. And my cat and dog are going to learn to love each other on that road trip, let me tell you! Fun times in close quarters. I don’t know what’s ahead, but I guess that’s the exciting thing for me. And I may not be Maude in Manitoba anymore, but I’ll still carry Maude’s motto around (Harold and Maude, 1971 movie – if you’re wondering), which is:

“Reach out. Take a chance. Get hurt even. But play as well as you can. Go team, go! Give me an L. Give me an I. Give me a V. Give me an E. L-I-V-E. LIVE!”

So, as I close a chapter here, it just means that I’m going to start living out another chapter somewhere else. Thank you, Manitoba. You’ll always be a part of me and I’m sure I’ll be back for multiple wedding seasons!