Wednesday, June 12, 2019

How has your life surprised you?

On a Cup of Jo, the topic was How Has Your Life Surprised You? This got me thinking... as a teen chatting with my high school girlfriends, we had all these earnest and lofty plans for ourselves... Where would our lives take us? Of course each of us would meet the love of our life (some of us thought we did already-- spoiler alert, we were wrong). Would there be kids? We'd all end up with wonderful careers... and balance it all. If my teen self had a look into the future though... just a few things would surprise her...

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First off, though I was never consumed with the mortality of my parents and can't imagine life without them , I'm so happy that my parents are here and so healthy still. My parents both lost at least one of their parents when they were young adults. At my age, my dad had lost both of his. I am thrilled that my kids get to experience all of their grandparents... something I was never fortunate enough to have.

My teen self would have been surprised to see where my academic/professional life has taken me. I loved accounting  and wanted to pursue it but the accounting program at University wasn't really recognised so I studied Management studies with a focus on HR. I sort of fell into Marketing as it was the first job offered to me out of University and stuck with it through my MBA and then my career after. Was it my life passion though? Though it was a whole lot of fun, I'd have to say no. When I decided to leave the corporate world, I was totally okay with it. So much so that recently when my old manager asked if she could recommend me for a job that she was leaving in our field, I was inclined to say no. And now, I'm back into accounting... slowly trekking along... on a totally part time basis but I really do love it. 

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I would also be surprised at how independent I am. I know... adulting is independence. But I grew up with my dad taking care of lots in our house. Now, I feel that I'm the one to do a whole lot of heavy lifting as well-- figuring out plumbing technicalities, car stuff, travel insurance, the health of four people, legal matters and a bunch of other stuff. I'd like to say that I kind of  rock at this adulting... some days anyways. 

As a teen, I was super skinny... so my teen self would be surprised that I'm not scrawny anymore. Ha!I was a weakling though-- my phs-ed grade was never my highest. That being said, teen me would also be surprised with how fitness is a huge part of my life with me aiming to exercise five days a week-- and most weeks crushing it. I may not be a super model, but I am strong, fitter than I've ever been and I can crush a tuck jump. 

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I'd also be stunned to know that we made our home in Canada... a place I'd never even been to before D and I started dated. And to tell you the truth, I didn't really love it when I came-I thought it was cold, sterile, I had no family and not a lot of friends and I missed my homeland of Trinidad so very much. Fast forward many years and I love how full life is with the family life us four have cultivated, the friendships we've developed in our little city and how we've made our house a home. 

What would also thrill me beyond all belief is that I have daughters. Growing up with brothers and male cousins and not always a whole lot of estrogen, I craved a daughter but always thought I'd have a son. In my heart of hearts, I wanted two girls and I'm so thrilled (and a little shell shocked ) that I'm blessed with two. 

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Life isn't always how we planned but sometimes it can be even better though the journey was hard. 
So tell me now, what in your life would surprise the younger you? What would (s)he say about it all?





6 comments:

  1. 10 Things To Tell You had a similar topic on how you expected your life to be. I was also skinny as a kid and never thought I'd have trouble losing weight!

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  2. What an absolutely beautiful post, I did one similar to this one time called 29 things I would tell my teenage self. I can honestly say, one of the best things I ever did in my life was with the corporate world. I love reading this!

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  3. LOVE this! It's so funny yet incredibly sweet where life takes us <3

    Green Fashionista

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  4. My younger self would be shocked that I am homeschooling.. in fact when my boys were small I would have laughed at anyone that told me I would be. And yet I love it!

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  5. I love this take on the surprises in life - you have given me plenty to think on!

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  6. It was such a good post. Visit plumbers wake forest. Thanks for sharing.

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Hearing from you makes me so happy!!

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