On The Road to...
/Why the unfinished title? Let me explain. During my last day on the air, before retiring from ABC 7 Chicago, I gave a message of gratitude to our viewers. The last thing I said was a quote from a friend. “Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.” That is the reason for the …
For me, there was a deeper meaning to that quote, that I haven’t been able to discuss until now. Yes, there have been a lot of changes in my life in a relatively short amount of time. Sara, my one and only, moved to Albuquerque in January. Sara and DJ became engages in April, and of course I retired that same month.
The biggest change happened last week on June 27th when my divorce became final. This was not my idea, nor was it my choice. That’s all I can say.
That’s why you’ve been seeing so many posts about my sweet fur-babies. It’s the reason I’ve been traveling alone, or with family.
This is a journey I did not expect to take by myself at this point in my life - but life has a way of taking your plans, tearing them up, throwing the disheveled mess out the window, and challenging you to travel down the road unknown to sort it all out (sorry, not sorry for the traffic reference!). So that’s what I’m doing. I am writing this while sitting on a plane, headed to Albuquerque for a visit with Sara and DJ, one, because I miss them, and two, to help them coordinate wedding plans. That brings me joy. It makes my heart sing - all part of the healing process.
Many have told me I am a strong woman and I will come out of this a better version of myself. When I’m in the right frame of mind I do believe that. I also believe things happen for a reason, although I haven’t figured out the reason for this one - yet. Clarity takes time - so does healing. There is a grieving process to the end of any relationship. This one lasted over 21 years, nearly a third of my life. I need to give myself grace and take the time necessary to heal.
From now on, I will be sharing stories of my retirement journey, and all the exciting, new things I will have time to do! I’ve already started catching up with friends I hadn’t been able to see due to my early morning work hours - that’s no longer an issue!
A typical morning for me now is waking up when the sun comes up, taking the dogs for a peaceful walk during the quietness of dawn, having my coffee, checking the headlines and starting my day!
The future is bright. I am blessed with a loving family and supportive friends. I have a love of travel, as you know, and the possibilities are endless! I have many things I want to do, and many new things I want to learn to do. Who knows…I may pop up here and there on ABC 7! The rest is unwritten…