Time of Your Life

Have you ever used this phrase? You’re at a point in your life where things can’t seem to be better, life is treating you well, and you are happy as a clam just to be living your life each day. Erich and I said this a lot in Colorado. It was the first time we had lived in the same state, let alone the same house. We both had jobs that we loved and worked with colleagues we called friends. The Rockies were outside our window and we took advantage of the great outdoors as much as we could…hiking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing, camping. We were surrounded by micro breweries, local foods, and live music…life was good.

Then we moved toChina. And before we did, I distinctly remember having a conversation with Erich that included thoughts like, “You know, it’s going to be hard for life to get better than this. We are at the peak of our lives here in Colorado. Why are we leaving again?” And we were right. In that moment in time, we felt like we had it all. So why were we leaving? I think we’re both “gut” people…when something feels like it needs to happen, don’t question or analyze. Do. We live with our instinct and our hearts, which isn’t always a good thing, but it has worked for us thus far in life. So we left Colorado because there was something inside both of us saying that there was more out there for us somewhere.

When the dotted line was signedto come to China, we both still thought…really, China? It was the last place we thought we’d end up, but we decided to go with it. Some of the best things in our lives have happened because we least expected or planned for them. Couldn't hurt to test that theory half way around the world.

And here we are now, amazed that we can have conversations about our life here and say…no THIS is the time of our lives. Colorado was outstanding, but this is a different kind of outstanding. Erich owns his own café and community center. I work with the most wonderful students on the planet. Our friends, we consider family. We can travel all over Southeast Asia and China. We have the opportunity to live in a place SO different from our home country and consistently question our own values and thoughts on life. We are staying a third year for many reasons, but I think one of them is because there’s nothing else that seems likeit could possibly be better for us right now.

So is it the place or the person that determines your state of satisfaction and overall contentment with life? Have Colorado and China been “the best times of our lives” because of the places we were, or is it because of our outlook and approach to life? Either way, we count ourselves lucky to be able to feel this way. I guess the true test will come when we decide to leave China and see if this pattern of good luck in life experiences follows us to the next place…