Isn't it funny how changing lanes on the highway sometimes can reduce your stress, it can change your attitude, therefore, change your life, your well being........
Paul and I have been talking about moving for a few years now to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Its a place that brings me comfort and peace. Its an oasis of sorts. Paul started coming down with me 7 years ago when we first started dating. It is a place for both of us that allows us to be more active outdoors, spend more time on the beach or in the water - which is something we both love. It brings a calmness to our souls.
The decision to move away from family and friends is never easy. You become torn between not wanting to leave and wanting so much to have a different quality of life - one that is more authentic to you. For me, the move to Hilton Head is easier. My parents are in Hilton Head. His Mom is not (although she is always welcome). His kids are in MA, and the list goes on and on. So when it came to making the decision of when, I really had to step back and let him figure out what he truly wanted and give him the space to bring it to me when ready.
At the same time, life gets in the way....with the pain that I feel daily and other complications that surround my illness, making a decision sometimes fast forwards itself. My pain was only getting worse and I was dragging myself this place and that place trying to find a quality of life that let me get off the couch and be more active, more productive. So we decided together to make the move this year. The more temperate weather is supposedly good for the body.
We got lucky and were approached to buy a small business. Something that would bring supplemental income while we try to settle in to our new surroundings. Our plan is laid out so the transition is slow and accommodating to both of us......
As a result, I am currently in Hilton Head. I have been here for a month. And while its been a quick four weeks, it also feels like forever since I have seen my love. I miss him so much.
However, on the flip side, I am settling in. Yes, I am still wiped beyond words, I have pain all over but its not as extreme as it has been. The temperate weather is helping.
Its strange how one thing can change the direction of my illness and give me some sort of quality of life I am searching for. I know there will be difficult days, I know I will always have pain. How I choose to control it is how I change lanes, therefore changing my life.
