As flies begin to buzz again at the windows, Nicholas and I prepare to leave this island, this humble island that has carried us through many seasons. Astonishing to think that when I first arrived here three years ago, I was a single woman. Today, I am married to an islander and mother to an islander. God did not waste time with me.
Somehow, our hearts know it is time to move on. It is a little like realizing that your favorite pair of shoes no longer fits you, or that the seams are splitting—at once, you are sad that you must say goodbye to what you love, even as you are excited for something new. And excited I am. Excited to embark on my next adventure, not alone as when I first came to the island, but together with the two people I love most in the world. Excited to take a risk, not knowing what lies ahead, but trusting that whatever it is, it will be no less wonderful than what lies behind us, because God does not disappoint. Excited to pull up roots and transplant in fresh soil. Excited to grow still more.
I will miss this place, but more than that, I will miss these people. I never had a community to call my own until I came to this little island. Here, I forged more quality friendships than I ever anticipated, made more memories than my heart can hold—indeed, I suspect many tears will fall as we drive off Prince Edward Island, tears signifying the overflowing love I carry for the loved ones we are leaving behind. God was more than good to me—He was magnanimous.
To the prairies we go, ready for new friends, new memories. Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes, of receiving and letting go. We never really settle, do we? Not even the elders among us do, for as soon as you find yourself comfortable, God begins nudging you into the next stage, be it marriage, parenthood, grandparenthood, retirement—be you young or old, the adventure ebbs and flows into eternity.
Today, as life quickens yet again, I simply hope to surrender myself to the current, wherever the Lord takes me.
Excited to hear what is next on your journey!