Twenty Year Plan

 

Now, I know SOME of you already have a vague recognition of the plan.  I assure you tho, this is no joke.

 

For those of you that don't know, let me back up a bit.

 

I grew up (32 years ago) in a small town in Northern BC.  In 2006, the census says that there were 1113 people calling my hometown, home. I now live in a city that 579,000 people called home in 2006.  That's an increase in over a half a MILLION people!  And that isn't really accurate because the GVRD (which includes our suburbs, which are very impactful to the overall population.  That number is over 2.2 million people).

 

When I moved to Vancouver, I decided that I never wanted to call any other place home.  I love it here!  I love the proximity to both oceans and mountains (altho the mountains and I enjoy eachother from a distance).  I love the people for the most part, I love the fusion of so many different cultures and traditions and the overwhelming selection of amazing food.  I mean, to be honest, you can get anything here... there's even an Egyptian restaurant!  Cool! 

 

I have spent many years here now... the house I moved in to when I moved to the city proper from the burbs (many years spent there too!) is the house I live in now.  February will be my 10th Vancouversary!  And I've loved every minute of it!

 

What I haven't loved in the last few years is my seeming lack of direction.  Just knowing where you want to live isn't usually enough to sustain an entire life.  What would I do for the rest of my life... dunno.  How would I support myself for the rest of my life... dunno.  I guess I could work at my existing job for the rest of my life... but what will I have to show for that in twenty years?  Do I even WANT to do this for the rest of my life?

 

When I was sad and lonely in the last couple years, I would get out of bed every day, wondering to what end I was repeating the same thing... day after day after day.  When does it end?  When do I get to do the fun stuff?  And I don't mean retire... or vacation... but live in such a way that makes me feel fulfilled and content.  It's possible I've not ever really been content... ponders... ya, no... not ever.

 

When I took up knitting (see, knitting is in there... it IS after all a 'knitting' blog), I started to really enjoy the interaction with nature... I started to prefer more natural fibres, more environmentally consious processes.  In my life I started to concentrate on my own impact on the environment... I started composting, taking transit and purchasing things with less toxins and less packaging.  Not huge impacts really, but I do believe if we can all do what we CAN do and not dwell on what we can't do or what others are doing... more, better... then we're better off in the long run.

 

So back to my twenty year plan.  I don't know how other people's 'dreams' start... one day you think something up and then you focus on it?  Does it evolve?  I mean, how does it really start?  I want to call my twenty year plan my dream, but it's only been a definable dream for a short time.  It's been a FEELING inside me for a long time... one that I didn't know what it was, but have now matured and evolved myself enough to know that my new dream is only fueled by the fire that's been inside me... not hampered or confused by it.

 

I'm sure you're curious enough now, so I'll just come out with it.

 

For the next twenty years, my focused life path will be to the following end:

 

I want to live on a farm with goats and chickens and barn kitties.  I want to wake up in the morning and put my gumboots on and milk my goats. I want to make chevre the likes of which have never been tasted by mere mortals.  I want to grow my own organic vegetables and take the excess to a farmers market. I want a studio in an outbuilding that has room for my fibre arts and I want a couple of Jacob sheep.  I want to sit on my porch and survey my land.  I want a warm and loving home that is inviting to all.

 

In order to make this work, the next twenty years will be dedicated to savings, debt repayment, learning and growing.  I will not retire at an old age from a job I don't passionately love.  I will however grow old on my own terms, on my own land and in my own way. 

 

THAT is my dream.  THAT is what will keep me getting out of bed every morning and give me the answer to the question 'What am I doing this for?'.  That will give my life direction... something to work toward.  Something big and beautiful and dreamy to caress and nurture.  To dream dreams about and to inspire the gloomy days.  Without this I'm just swishing around in the whirlpool of my life... not knowing which end is up or down... THIS... this dream is my anchor...

 

I'm. SO. EXCITED!