come to the edge
"Come to the edge.""We can't. We're afraid.""Come to the edge.""We can't. We will fall!""Come to the edge."And they came.And he pushed them.And they flew.~ Guillaume Apollinaire, 1880-1918 Many years ago, I kept this quote taped in front of me on a college desk. When I dismantled my dorm room, I put the yellowed quote in my Bible. (The one bestowed upon me by the Presbyterian Church in my little Wisconsin hometown.) When I have had my Bible out over the years, that yellowed rectangle would fall out, reminding me that if only we will trust, we can soar.
Well, to be honest, moving to China seems a lot like going to the edge. (The earth is round, I know, but it's hard to see that from the current perspective.) My dear husband of nearly 28 years called me "out of the blue" just a few weeks ago and offered the "possibility" of this move. It DID sound like one of those "chance of a lifetime" moments and so I said "Sure, we should be open to the possibility."
Fast (FAST!) forward to today and we have passports and visas on the counter. We'll be in Shenzhen in just a few days, looking for ....a house? (there are very few), a highrise apartment? (there are many, but we might fall!), new schools? (an International School), a new grocery store? (and way new groceries), new friends? (I have SO MANY WONDERFUL "OLD" ONES!), new, new everything! I swing from panic to excitment to exhaustion over all that must be done to make this move happen in two months. Our house is for sale, but there's SO MUCH STUFF to be sorted. What stays in storage? What will be need and have room for? What will be end up giving up and letting go of just to expedite this adventure? We've been vaccinated. Our luggage is out of the attic, ready to be filled.
I feel blessed but uncertain. It will be an amazing experience but it WILL be scary. We're approaching the edge. Get ready, here we gooooooooo!!!!