Photo challenge # 5 – safe in port

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for.”
John A Shedd

I have come to the last post in my series on new chapters in my life which brings me up to the present time and my current ‘new beginnings’.

A new chapter in life often begins by being in transition, a period between the old and new.
That transition involves letting go of the old life, restructuring, then moving on to the new.

Even though it has been over three and a half years since the ending of my marriage of 37 years, it is only three months past our marital financial settlement, and only three weeks since our house has legally become my home.

I have spent over three years in ‘letting go‘ of my old life in an emotional sense, and it is time for me now to reflect on where I am in a practical sense. I feel it is important to spend some time in that middle place, that place of restructure. Yes, I am indeed the Captain of my ship, and my ship is meant to move on to exciting places, but as Captain I know the importance of maintenance and refurbishment. I do not want to set sail and sink, run out of supplies, or be unable to weather any storms that may pass my way. I am going to spend some time working on my growth, on my vision for my future, and on decisions in some very important aspects of my life: my place of living, my connections, my family network, partaking in meaningful projects and planning my further contributions to society.

However, before any of that – there is me.

I am going to work on me – my health, my education, my well-being, my self-security.
So for a little while at least, I will remain in port in order to fully recharge.

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This post is part # 5 of a series of a writing challenge sent to me by Catherine of catterel with the following guideline:

“Post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or a short paragraph and each day nominate another blogger for the challenge.”

I have been writing on the theme of my experiences of new chapters in my life.
This post has been on stopping for a while before beginning my next new chapter.
The photo is of a ship at Corinna, Tasmania; asleep for the winter months.

Today, to continue the writing challenge, I nominate six people who follow my blog, who have provided me much support on my journey and who are inspirational in their own blogs. Introducing Ian, Julie, Karen, Kristi, Gerard, and Robyn