{"id":6401,"date":"2012-01-26T11:03:19","date_gmt":"2012-01-26T16:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/beyondblue\/?p=6401"},"modified":"2012-01-26T11:03:19","modified_gmt":"2012-01-26T16:03:19","slug":"and-then-life-happens-%e2%80%a6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beyondblue\/2012\/01\/and-then-life-happens-%e2%80%a6.html","title":{"rendered":"And Then Life Happens \u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>American journalist Allen Saunders was the first one to coin the phrase, \u201cLife is what happens while you\u2019re busy making other plans.\u201d I\u2019m sure most of you can appreciate the truth of those words. <\/p>\n

In the last three years, life events have had me in a kind of half-nelson, from which I keep trying to escape instead of relax and surrender \u2026 as much as human beings can. I\u2019ve gone over some of this before, so I apologize if it\u2019s redundant to some readers\u2026.<\/p>\n

Three years ago, my life took an unexpected turn when the construction market sort of fell into the toilet, and the world suddenly had little need for architects like my husband. I began my mad chase for a job with benefits, or at least health care insurance and a stable income. <\/p>\n

My mental health\/ spirituality writing is, without question, my passion and what I feel is my life purpose.<\/p>\n

But they can\u2019t exactly feed my family or give us the health insurance we need. So I became a government contractor and consultant with one of those humongous companies that has its own TV ads. I got fired. Well, first I was sent to boot camp. But even after I graduated from there, I still wouldn\u2019t drink the freak\u2019in Kool-Aid. Back to freelance writing I came. However, to make enough income, I had to work like four jobs. So I wrote for a gazillion Web sites. When my appendix burst, I took it as a sign that I did not have same DNA as Linda Carter (Wonder Woman). Besides, my COBRA health insurance plan was about to run out, and I know by experience that good health insurance must be priority number one when career planning.<\/p>\n

Last August, as soon as I got stitched up (literally), I took a full time position leading the communication efforts of a small, local technology firm. Even though I am not an engineer or ontologist (just learned what that is!), and do not get AS excited about cloud computing and Semantic Web technology as other software developers, I feel incredibly blessed to have found a company where I can be myself (sarcastic as hell) without being sent to sensitivity training, to be at a place where I genuinely like and respect all of my co-workers. It\u2019s a first!<\/p>\n

I have tried, over the last six months, to maintain Beyond Blue<\/a> as best as I can. But it has taken a toll on me, as well as my family. In the last two months, my husband and I have also had to address some important issues that have surfaced with both kids\u2014hours of attention (patience attention) that are impossible to give when you\u2019re stressed out. And in the last two weeks, we\u2019ve had a health crisis in our family that will require extra caregiving on our part (and additional hours).<\/p>\n

Life happens when you are busy making plans.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t mean to whine, as I have been criticized for doing on this blog. But I do feel the need to be perfectly honest with you about where I am, because I find that when I lay my problems and burdens out like this, some of you are relieved to know someone else is struggling to get through the day, and that the person writing this blog has plenty of issues herself.<\/p>\n

So what does this mean for Beyond Blue<\/a>?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve decided to not <\/strong>renew a contract for right now; I don\u2019t want the pressure of having to produce an original piece every day, or at least four times a week. However, I am going to try my best to post something at least three times a week. I may have to rely heavily on archives, but many of you come and go, so I don\u2019t think that will be a huge problem.<\/p>\n

On a post I recently published on how to grieve the loss of a loved one, a reader asked how to grieve the loss of a dream \u2026 <\/p>\n

I thought it was an excellent question, one for which I\u2019m still trying to find the answer. In a sense, I feel like that\u2019s what I\u2019m going through right now \u2026 I\u2019m transitioning from being a professional writer on a topic that inspires the best in me to being a communications advisor\u2014with a little writing on the side as a hobby. Beyond Blue<\/a> is no longer a primary source of revenue. When introduced to people, I won\u2019t say I am a \u201cwriter\u201d or \u201cblogger.\u201d It\u2019s now a hobby or a ministry that I do when I can.<\/p>\n

I will still write original posts when I can. And you will see at least three posts\/a week for now. But trust that you are not alone if life is happening while you are busy making plans.<\/p>\n

Artwork by the talented Anya Getter.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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