I Left The Woods

I had known about Thoreau’s quote about going to the woods where he documented and chronicled his experience (for two and half years) in the book, Walden.

I have been to Walden Pond in the quaint town of Concord, MA several times. I swam in its waters, hiked its trails, and channeled my inner Winnie-the-Pooh while doing a lot of nothing but soaking up its magnificence. It’s a spiritual place for me.

Recently, I learned of Thoreau’s thoughts about leaving the woods. I didn’t have a park ranger educate me, or a docent at the nearby museum recite a rehearsed lecture. Surprisingly, I stumbled upon the Transcendentalist’s philosophy by chance while sitting at my computer, in our home office, in Ledyard, CT.

An epiphany overwhelmed me, so much so, that I had to leave the house and get a breath of fresh air in our backyard. I sat with our three dogs and contemplated on Thoreau’s words that made a timely entrance into my life.

This is some serious divine intervention or inspiration or whatever you want to call it.

You see, I had been unwittingly adjusting and preparing for the drastic and life-altering changes that would soon affect my life. For the first time in my life, I sought the help of a therapist and she helped me tremendously.

I began to find my direction and carry myself with pride, or so I thought. As it turns out, I just became more comfortable in being lost, and I tried valiantly and patiently to get back to a place that I knew very well.

Ahh, but the Universe has a different plan for me. I’m not exactly sure what that plan is, but then again, I’ve come to learn that my plans lead me to where I need to be, rather than where I want to go.

So, my eyes and ears are wide open to new opportunities. I am gambling, for sure! But, I have taken much bigger risks in the past and have turned out okay. I’ve overcome monumental hurdles that were laid before me as well.

Am I nervous? Yes. Am I taking a risk? Yes. Am I excited? You bet. Am I surprising and disappointing a lot of people? Most likely. Am I beginning the next chapter of life, so to speak? Indeed I am. I’d even say, I’m diving into a whole new book.

The world we live in now is the most volatile it has ever been. Not one of us is guaranteed to wake up to see the beauty of another day. We can’t be certain about the future, yet many of us, including me, hold on to a past that has passed us by. Where will that get us? Is it good for us and for others?

So, I am leaving the woods – my animal training career – behind me. I gave it all I had, and I had a good run of it. I accomplished a lot, and I helped many people in 20 years of service to a career I loved.

However, I am listening to my calling for a new vocation. I am taking action privately, and I am actively moving the wheels of progress. After I complete a few more items on my to-do list, I will share my next adventurous journey with you. Hint: I have more stories to share.

Stay tuned!

Regardless of what my new career will entail, I will continue to live by  my core values and I will always:

Be Kind. Be Thankful. Be Significant.

Peter