At the beginning of the summer my older sister bought a flower shop. I can’t even tell you how excited I was for her. It goes back to so many things in our family where I don’t feel like we were adequately encouraged to be empowered, much less empowered women from a Mormon upbringing. It might not seem like a big deal to many people, but the day she called my cell to tell me she was thinking about it – I nearly screamed and did cartwheels in the intersection where I was waiting to cross the street.
Of course, I promised to help in any way I could. I even promised to move to Utah to help her run it until she could get it going. I knew it was a possibility she’d call me on it.
Naturally, I needed to work on my book, gather research in Seattle. She launched her business on June 1st, and personally – although I may be biased, she’s done a fantastic job.
Now, she’s quit her day job and this month goes full time into the business of being a female entrepreneur. CONGRATULATIONS!
Here’s the kicker.
In two weeks I’ll be moving to Utah for a couple of months to help her out. I know – I know… it’s Utah. Mormon tabernacles, cow stink and a nearly coffee-free environment. It’s the closest thing to hell I’ve ever experienced on this earth, and I’ve been to Glennallen Alaska…
This step is the next level of TheBlissQuest. This is not my average hit and run visit of a week or two to see family. This is an unpack my bags and spend some time in Podunk to help my sister and see if I can’t unlock some of this anxiety about the energy that pervaded my childhood.
I know a few of my friends have expressed concern over this new choice of plans, Andymay said, “But I thought you were excited about spending autumn in Portland?”
Yes. Absolutely, I was stoked about autumn in Stumptown, but there will be many more autumns in Portland and only one fall where my sister and her girls could really use my help – as well as it likely being the only time in my life where I’m unencumbered enough to actually do it. So there it is. I’ll stay with D and the girls in Hyrum, until I leave for New Zealand in mid-November.
To those of you who know me – this is a willing step into the lion’s den. I can’t wait to hang with D and go shopping with the girls. I’m so excited to see my brothers and talk to my dad. I actually, can’t wait. I never thought I’d say this without being under duress, but I’m thrilled to be going to Utah. There’s some major fixing that needs to be done in my relationships there, as well as the relationship I have with my inner child that was traumatized when I lived there as a girl.
Please don’t worry Meme. I’m wiser to the tricks. However, if I call and say I’ve reconverted – please, come get me.
Don’t stress Jeffy; I’ll be in and out before you know it and I’ll have done maximum sinner damage to the innocents in my radius.
Have no fear Andymay, I can run much faster than I could when I was little. My instincts are sharper.
Forgive me Awesome and Adorabella, and St. Mary and Geebie I won’t be spending autumn in Portland with you. Can we shoot for next year?
KungfuKitten – I hope you stay tuned, because I suspect that whatever this may mean on other levels, I can pretty much guarantee this will be some serious bloggage. If nothing else a fellow writer knows, that the greatest character arcs happen when you stuff your character into a situation that breeds all sorts of uncomfortableness and friction. Likely I will spontaneously combust but if I do I’m taking as many of them with me as I can.
I have a few appointments in Portland next week, but I hope to be on the road by the 16th. I smell trouble… and it’s making my heart pound with excitement. This could get messy, and I can’t wait.
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