There's something refreshing about the beginning of September. It's the beginning of the school year and having been a geek all my life, it was always something I looked forward to. It's the beginning of fall, my favourite season, especially in North America; the air is crisp enough to wear a jacket (I have an unhealthy obsession with jackets) and sleeping with the windows open requires that extra blanket so you don't catch a cold.
This September marks some important anniversaries in my life. One involves gaining independence, one involves a loss and one involves a journey of discovery.
It was ten years ago this September that I packed up a minivan full of my possessions, drove down the 401 past hundreds of farm fields to a small city called London, Ontario. Here, I would attend an amazing university, the University of Western Ontario. Here is where I would gain independence - no one was accountable for my grades, my bills or how I lived my life except for me. While there's not much of that Orientation Week that I remember (most likely due to the copious amount of alcohol that was consumed), I remember meeting a floormate who would turn out to be my roommate for the remaining three years and still an incredibly good friend today. More friends were gained along the way, some were lost, but overall, I was lucky enough to meet some fascinating individuals, some of whom I have had the great fortune of traveling with on my trip around the world.
It was two years ago this weekend that I talked to my grandmother for the last time. Having battled lung and bone cancer for over a year and a half, she died shortly after collapsing on her way back to her room at the hospital in Los Angeles. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to have planned a trip to visit her that Labour Day weekend and had a nice chat before she passed. It was my grandmother that really encouraged me to reconnect with my father's side of the family. It could have been guilt from all of the mean things that were said and done during my parents' divorce, but her one message to me throughout the entire time she was battling her illness was that I needed to patch things up with my dad. If it wasn't for her urging and what I believe is her continued guidance on the matter, it wouldn't have led me to where I am today.
And it was six months ago today that I quietly sipped on a gin and tonic while watching Toronto disappear from my window as I sat on my midnight flight to Taipei. Half excited, a quarter drunk and the remainder anxious, I had no idea what was in store for me in my year off. I had left a comfortable life for the unknown and having always been the person with a plan, not having one made me feel empty and lost. It never occurred to me that I was pretty empty and lost all along, even with my plans. What I was missing was family and having had the chance to be with my dad's side of my family 24/7 for two months made me realize how much I needed these people in my life. It also marked the start of an incredible journey that would take me to new places I had never seen before like Tibet, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Portugal, Spain, Croatia and Scotland. I've experienced some great moments like celebrating with thousands of Spaniards on La Ramblas after their Euro Cup win or taking a dip in Loch Ness while the sun blazed down on us sipping whiskey on the beach.
This weekend has certainly been a time for reflection - this perfect storm of anniversaries have made me appreciate that saying, "everything happens for a reason." Within the last six months, I've learned a lot about my strengths and weaknesses - these next six months will be about how I take that knowledge and determine what I want to do moving forward. May more eureka moments occur, and may more truths shed light on paths that need to be followed.
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