Ok, let's recap the past year-ish:
I spent 4 month in New York City, 6 weeks in India, and took two trips out to Dallas, TX for work: When I started my job, I would have told you that the tax function does not travel much, if at all. However, in the 2 1/2 years I have been at my firm, I have already had two fairly significant trips, not to mention the 7 month rotation to Texas that I passed on last summer.
I visited my family in Sammamish, Boston, and Chicopee: I went home to Sammamish, WA back in April, joined my family at my sister's college graduation in Boston, MA in May, and then when my parents moved out to Chicopee, MA I spent Christmas with them at their new crib.
I worked two tax busy seasons: During busy season, I tend to disappear from the outside world. I work long days and sometimes go weeks without seeing dear friends. When I finish busy season, it feels like I have returned from a long trip. I have to spend the next few days putting my life back together - get my car serviced, catch up with friends, do laundry, restock my fridge with food...
I am currently in Israel, heading to India next week and about to start another tax season soon.
I recently told someone that I was excited about settling into normal life again. But let's be honest, what is normal for me?
Why do I associate the nomadic lifestyle with the not normal?
Being a nomad was normal for some. Why can't it be normal for me?
To some degree, society encourages, no, demands nomadicy. You are always asked when you are moving to the next stage of life. What college are you choosing, when are you graduating, when are you landing a career, getting married, starting a family, changing careers, retiring, etc. Why is it never enough to be content in your current stage of life?
But society also encourages, no, again demands the sedentary. When are you settling down? Are you going to move back home? You can't keep up that pace forever. When are you going to slow down...etc.
I'm confused. What do you want from me?
My life feels like a dance. There are structured "normal" steps, but the music is constantly changing and with that, the steps must be altered.
So what does "normal" mean or look like?
Maybe normal is rolling with the changes in life without rushing them or prolonging them...maybe normal is taking one day at a time...maybe normal is learning to be content in the present, but still having a hope and a vision for the future...maybe normal is redefining home...maybe normal is being in the stage of life in which you thrive, whether that is being nomadic or being sedentary...
And maybe the most normal thing I can do is breathe.
All that to say, I'm in Bethlehem and its snowing. Talk about not normal...or is it?
I spent 4 month in New York City, 6 weeks in India, and took two trips out to Dallas, TX for work: When I started my job, I would have told you that the tax function does not travel much, if at all. However, in the 2 1/2 years I have been at my firm, I have already had two fairly significant trips, not to mention the 7 month rotation to Texas that I passed on last summer.
I visited my family in Sammamish, Boston, and Chicopee: I went home to Sammamish, WA back in April, joined my family at my sister's college graduation in Boston, MA in May, and then when my parents moved out to Chicopee, MA I spent Christmas with them at their new crib.
I worked two tax busy seasons: During busy season, I tend to disappear from the outside world. I work long days and sometimes go weeks without seeing dear friends. When I finish busy season, it feels like I have returned from a long trip. I have to spend the next few days putting my life back together - get my car serviced, catch up with friends, do laundry, restock my fridge with food...
I am currently in Israel, heading to India next week and about to start another tax season soon.
I recently told someone that I was excited about settling into normal life again. But let's be honest, what is normal for me?
Why do I associate the nomadic lifestyle with the not normal?
Being a nomad was normal for some. Why can't it be normal for me?
To some degree, society encourages, no, demands nomadicy. You are always asked when you are moving to the next stage of life. What college are you choosing, when are you graduating, when are you landing a career, getting married, starting a family, changing careers, retiring, etc. Why is it never enough to be content in your current stage of life?
But society also encourages, no, again demands the sedentary. When are you settling down? Are you going to move back home? You can't keep up that pace forever. When are you going to slow down...etc.
I'm confused. What do you want from me?
My life feels like a dance. There are structured "normal" steps, but the music is constantly changing and with that, the steps must be altered.
So what does "normal" mean or look like?
Maybe normal is rolling with the changes in life without rushing them or prolonging them...maybe normal is taking one day at a time...maybe normal is learning to be content in the present, but still having a hope and a vision for the future...maybe normal is redefining home...maybe normal is being in the stage of life in which you thrive, whether that is being nomadic or being sedentary...
And maybe the most normal thing I can do is breathe.
All that to say, I'm in Bethlehem and its snowing. Talk about not normal...or is it?
