Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Take Me In
the day the furniture and boxes arrived
One of the best parts of being at Squam was getting to share in more detail about my journey. In one class, a hand went up as a student tried to pull the timeline together. "How long ago was this?"
"Let's see," I counted. "Two and a half years ago."
Two and a half years ago, I completed a home-based business I'd been doing for eight years. I had a three-year-old and a three-month-old. I thought I wanted to write, though I had no idea really what I would write. Maybe I'd finish my practice novel.
Two and a half years ago, we said yes to the part of us that wanted to live in New York City. Even though we'd never been here in person. I watched You've Got Mail so many times back then, internalizing the conversation about how closing the store is brave, and how it takes a lot of courage to imagine a new life for yourself.
And that's just what we did. If I told you about our life, just four years ago, you would not even recognize huge swaths of it. Some things are the same, like our love and the friendships that remain. But it is a new life, and all the people I've met and places I've gone since then, were only wild, unlikely dreams.
And it only took saying yes to one wild dream to set us on this course. I didn't know what was going to happen back then, and I still don't know what's going to happen today. But I'm slowing learning to trust my dreams and those intuitive ways of knowing, and more and more I'm practicing being brave.
I'm so thankful for Stacy, who heard my story at Squam, and then sent me this song yesterday. I'm posting it here, for everyone who has even one wild dream calling her right now, for anyone hoping that following her intuition really will lead her someplace good in the end:
Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 6:38AM Jen Lee | 19 Comments | in Squam Art Workshops, Writing, dreaming Share Article | Permalink
Reader Comments (19)
Jen, your words and trusting your journey two yrs ago speaks loudly to me. I'm going to ask my wild dreams today what they need to come into full fruition. Thank you!
Peace,
WRO
Wow. You know the Universe really does work like that. Courage. Gulp. Gumption. st-st-StEP. Step in the direction your heart leads. Know that. It. Will. Be. Okay. This is what Spirit wants of us. For us each to embody our dream and leave Fear of the Unknown behind. You'll never know, Jen, how many you inspire by doing. Just. That. Congratulations. Namaste,
Jen - so funny b/c I've heard this song on Pandora and thought of you. I hardly know you and just barely know of or remember your story of moving to NYC, but still this song would conjure you!
Yippee for being brave!
I love your story. There's something so fantastic about NYC, I'm so glad you made your dream real.
I picked up the Avett Brothers at Starbucks the other day, one of their songs is the giveaway this week, I'll have to dig it out of my cavernous bag.
This is gorgeous - and so inspiring. Your story does inspire so many of us, Jen. I'm so glad your times of saying "Yes" are bearing such fruit.
I've been meaning to send you this song for weeks now. So glad that Stacy did! (and also so glad that you were -- and continue to be -- so brave.)
Gorgeous song - and thanks for sharing your story here :) Yay to Yes ! :)
Thank you for this. I needed it.
So amazed to learn all this began just 2½ years ago. I want your story in minute detail sometime soon! And encouraged above all else to hear that you wanted to write - but didn't know WHAT you wanted to write. I've been in that exact position for most of my life. Maybe there's hope for me yet. :)
i love this song. they've been playing it down here in austin quite a bit since ACL fest, thanks for it this morning. it definitely stirs something in me, that's for sure. we'll see where it takes me. where i end up.
Brillliant its good to be reminded that chane takes TIME and its always slower than you expect it to take. Also Take it with You arrived safely on scottish shores ! Fantastic I'm only sorry I didn't have it 15 years ago when I really really needed it.
oh that song is beautiful.
it's making me cry.
thankyou...
Glad I made a little trip over to your blog...inspiring post. Sometimes it pays to follow your heart and go on a life adventure...thanks for that reminder!
Glad I made a little trip over to your blog...inspiring post. Sometimes it pays to follow your heart and go on a life adventure...thanks for that reminder!
i have visited your site many times and i have purchased your books...you have greatly affected my life. so, i have to say thank you for saying "yes"...because you have inspired me to have courage.
These words, your story, reminds me that you don't have to look before you leap. You don't have to hesitate before saying yes. Your heart & truth will guide you on your dreamy path.
Oh.. my Saturday morning just got a whole lot better. Thank you. xo
Thanks for inspiring me to be brave and follow my dreams.
For me, this song fits so perfectly with your post. The Avett Brothers are from my hometown. There are traces of their dreams all around this little town..down to the old music store where they took guitar lessons as kids. Each shared connection seems to whisper or sing or scream "follow your dreams." I'm truly in awe of those who do.
Just heard this song.
I'm sold.
Wow.
Wish I could pack up and move to NYC, maybe in my next life