You Are Never Too Old [Or Too Young] to Set Another Goal or to Dream a New Dream. - C. S. Lewis

This is my entry for the monthly Christian Writer’s Blog chain whose theme this month is journey. So I thought it best to open with some famous quotes about life’s journeys before I add my own thoughts…

"Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.” Don Williams, Jr., Novelist and Poet

“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” Greg Anderson, founder of the American Wellness Project.

“Success is not a place at which one arrives, but rather the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey.” Alex Noble, author

"When you have completed 95 percent of your journey, you are only halfway there." Japanese Proverb

I am especially drawn to the last quote as it is quite appropriate for my current life journey. I recently completed one week of intense study followed by 10 days of on-the-job training for a new career. This is a change to a new career from the one I had for 25 years. It wasn’t a change due to job burn-out but rather economic necessity. It’s a bit humbling being in a career for that long and then starting over once again.

However, I know that I am not in a unique position. Several of my friends are in similar situations as their companies are downsizing and letting go of the older, higher paid staff. Some use it as a springboard for trying something new that they always wanted to do. Others are at a loss as to what to do. For those who are not spiritually grounded, this can be a time when they spiral out of control, pretend nothing is wrong, or wreck relationships with misplaced anger.

For me this time of transition in my journey means having faith and moving forward trusting that God will guide me. Like Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” It also reminds me that I can still be taught new things despite being an “old dog” – though I don’t feel old. It also teaches me what is really essential and what I can let go of as just “things.” I am putting many things up for sale on Craig’s list that have been more taking up space than being of need. In doing so, I am starting to see the security blankets that I am still clutching.

About two years ago I started to try to transitions to a career in writing. The income has not been as forthcoming as I had hoped. I can no longer afford to write and research for extensive hours – thus the training for a new job. I do plan to journal the stages of this new journey as a new form of writing. I hope that it can then be put together in a book to help others with their journey of starting over.