Three years ago, I packed everything I owned from my tiny Winnipeg apartment and embarked on a new life in rural Saskatchewan.
A feeling of adventure overtook me as I left the known for the unknown. You see, taking chances wasn't in my repertoire. I played it safe. But moving in with my significant other and taking a job at a community newspaper as a writer was anything but safe.
This feeling of adventure came from knowing I broke all myself preconceptions - not an easy thing to do.
I settled into my new home in Oxbow and life became better than I imagined. Of course, it had its bumps along the way, but I embraced them instead of giving into my inherent flight response.
Working as a full-time writer challenged me in even more ways. Going out and meeting new people virtually every day forced me to get over my apprehensions of unfamiliarity almost overnight. Before I knew it, whenever I walked into a room filled with strangers, I found myself wondering about each person's story.
This is the part I enjoyed most about working as a writer: telling people's stories. Everyone has a story to tell. Some are sad, some happy, some heroic, some heartbreaking. But, every story is worth telling, and I take great pride in my ability to do this.
During my time at The Observer, I met countless incredible people with equally incredible stories. The part I found most surprising when meeting someone for the first time was his or her humility when sharing a story with me. Many did not see the same grandeur as I did. To them, it was just a story, and it wasn't necessarily any more noteworthy than the next story.
I want to thank each and every one of you who invited me into your home and shared your story with me. It's an incredible feeling to know you trusted me and felt comfortable enough to share the best and worst part of your life. I listened to heartbreaking stories about sick children, inspiring stories about beating diseases, and happy stories about winning medals.
Many of your stories left an impression upon me, helping me put my own troubles into perspective. This is something I never imagined when setting out on this career path. I feel truly privileged to have met the people I met in the past three years.
I want to thank everyone who said they appreciated my column I wrote. You have no idea how much it meant to me to hear your thoughts - good or bad - on something I wrote.
When I threw my caution into the wind and left my city life, I didn't anticipate making another big change in my life for at least a few years. One big life change was enough for this girl.
But, life has a way of creating opportunities for change when least expected.
Another change in my life is why this column will be my last with The Observer. After deliberations with myself and my significant other, I have decided to leave The Observer and work as a writer in Oxbow.
This decision did not come easy, as the relationships I developed with people in the past three years served as a firm reminder of my love for this job. But the attraction of working within the town I live was too hard to ignore. And yes, this means I'll be able to spend more time with our wonderful - yet spoiled - dog Keisha. (We have already tested out our morning walk/run route into the valley, and for the record, she tired out before I did. So, she might be in need of this change more than me.)
While I'm saddened to leave The Observer and everyone I've met along the way, I'm ready and looking forward to this new challenge.
Before I sign off for the last time, I want to thank one more group of people: my co-workers. There are countless things I learned from you and for this, I want to give you my deepest appreciation.
And . . . that's it, that's all, folks.
