7 Days of Organization

Everyone in my life knows. Everyone!
There is no hiding from it anymore and no way to escape the decision.  Sometimes in life when you don't tell people your inner most thoughts they seem less real. Less concrete. They have less validity.  Yet, now that everyone knows there is no backing out. "No Choice! Like Indian marriage" - Bikram Choudhury


Everyone  in my life has an enormous amount of love for me. I am very blessed in this sense. I have so many great friends scattered across Canada accompanied by an extremely supportive family. My life is so full of love, however I have found that with this much love and support also comes questions, concerns, and opinions. Therefore conversations tend to become focused on the topic of travel, money, hostels, packing, and time lines.  Everyone asks me the same three questions;

1. Aren't you scared?
2. Are you excited?
3. Are you going alone?

My answers are always as follows;
1. Yes. But of never coming back to Canada.
2. Yes! Of course I am silly! If I wasn't why would I do this?
3. Yes.

After the three questions are answered people begin to enquire about how this is all possible. How do you leave it all behind? Where is your stuff? What about your job? Your apartment? Your cats? The above are all answered and peoples facial expression reveal they are slowly trying to put together the pieces, attempting to understand the logic, reasoning, and feasibility of this drastic life change.

During this week off, from my big girl job, I organized my entire existence in Ottawa and began the preparations for my departure. In seven days I organized my whole life and advanced towards leaving.

Shiraz and Vino
My BABBBBIIIEEESSS

Everything that I possess in Ottawa has been accounted for, shipped away or purchased. All my dearest material belongings were shipped in rubber bins to Winnipeg, stuffed to the brim, and kept closed with duck tape.  My lamps were sold to a random couple who met in Thailand and fell in love. Vino & Shiraz, my beloved kitties, were accounted for & my bed is gifted to the beautiful soul who will love them once I am gone.  All that remains is to pack my suitcase, complete an educational assignment for my college & say goodbye. Literally. That is it!




With all this talk about the future I have found that I am not really living in the present. My thoughts and conversations are focused on planning my route through Asia/Europe and figuring out Visas.  Yet..... I continue to teach mindfulness in the hot room.

As I taught class tonight at Bikram Yoga Ottawa it dawned on me all the beautiful things I will miss about Ottawa...perhaps that should be another post....

So after a week of organizing, planning, sorting, and packing I decided to spend part of my Sunday absorbing my current surroundings. Get back to my current location and bring my mind back within my body. So I started walking.... and I walked and walked and walked...through Westboro, Downtown, Centretown, Elgin, Parliament Hill, Byward Market and Sandy Hill. My ears were filled with the sounds of Alexi Murdoch and my eyes soaked up the sights of Ottawa. For your Information -  this is a drop dead gorgeous city! I love Ottawa and feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to live here for almost two years.

As I crawled into bed tonight I feel completely satisfied, content, ready and happy.  Today showed me a very valuable lesson.  In the near future I will be travelling the world yet that day is not here but today is. My life is still here so my mind must be here too. Tomorrow will come, when it's ready, but tonight I am just a girl, in Ottawa, working 9 - 5, saving her money for a dream.

Thank You Ottawa.