I'm taking the leap

[Kawarthabob]

What leap you may ask? Well, let me tell you my story first. I moved from the city of Barrie almost 3 years ago to forge a life in Ontario's north country with my then Girlfriend ( who shall remain nameless). It was her dream to make a living in a nice quiet country setting. The web stats showed promise for both of us in our fields of employment. I sold my house in 2007 and by January of 2008 found myself In a very small town where people were friendly to your face but had a hidden agenda. I was not used to this small town mentallity. We both found ourselve's living on what was left over from the sale of my home. We had bought a patch of land with the dream of building on it but soon found ourselve's living on it in a 10'x40' park model trailer after the snow had melted. This was to be our home for the next 8 months. Spring turned to summer and summer into fall. The dream of building soon started to fade( it was getting really cold. We had no electricity, no running waterand no heat. What little money we had from odd jobs were being put to fuel for the car and the generator and food. It was a common site to wake up to the sight of a Cow Moose and her calf or a 350 lb. Black bear or even wolves in the distance. Things were rough but we managed. We opted to buy a home in the hastings highland region and used our property as collateral as a down payment. I didn't know this at the time but I always felt out of place, something was always missing. I didn't know it at the time but I have suffered from chronic depression my whole life but dismissed it thinking this was a normal feeling that everyone had. After moving into our new home I had sunk very heavily into a depressive state. My girlfriend had been "under the influence" and attacked me verbally and physically.I don't believe in violence of any kind, I wanted to die! Needless to say I lost everything last year. She had burned my house down and claimed posession of the land legally while I was in the hospital. I now find myself in a much happier state but am forced to "Re-invent" myself. I have toyed around with the idea of taking my hobby into a more professional direction. And after many months of research, help from family and friends and seeing many people I know make their dreams come true I will make the leap into being a photo journalist. I Know with my unique view and my tenacity for getting to the truth I can make this happen. I already have my first shoot lined up with many more to follow.

[casil403]

Congratulations Bob on all of this. I can say that knowing that a year and a half ago I was in the exact same place as you....sans the violence.

I've and have spent the last year doing the very same thing....reinventing myself. I went from being a Professional chef who was mentally burned out, deep in depression and working in a toxic environment, involved in a fairly lousy relationship...one day a hit on the head literally began one of the best and most difficult yet eye opening journeys in my life. Quit the job, got out of the relationship and am now taking occupational therapy in school on my way to working with brain injured people ()in the future and totally loving my life right now.

Wouldn't trade all the BS, the difficulties, the healing process or journey for anything because I am really discovering a side of myself I didn't know existed,.a confident happy, secure side of myself which is awesome!!!

So I say good for you and I applaud you for being courageous enuff to go after a passion and dream.. and turn an adversity into a new path and journey!

[Kawarthabob]

Thanks Casil. There are many more people out there like you and me. It's the ones that climb the mountain within (quoted from a photographer who's name escapes me) that will be able to get to that plateau and have a unique perspective.

[Bambi]

I hope that everything works out well. My belief is that you are never too old to change your path.

[AcadieLibre]

I must stop doing this, I typed out a whole response then come back later and realize I closed the page before submitting. Well it does seem that some of us here have had some very life altering experiences in the past year or two. What I find amazing though is anyone here I have spoken too and/or read their posts have all had the same reaction to the rough detour. More creative, more determined, willing to adapt, adjust and come out just not a better person but more seasoned, more appreciative of what we have and we will not let our lives go to waste because of unforeseen or out of our control circumstances. Bob I am sure will do great, seems to just want to live and enjoy life and not sit around and ponder woe is me. I do hope things go your way, seems you have the mindset that it is just going to work, well just because it will. Wonderful to see such people of strong character and will. Think their is a great bunch here with lots of determination. I hope the best for you Bob.

[Kawarthabob]

thanks for all the kind words! I knew I Picked an excellent forum to sign on too

[Bambi]

hey no problem. I always admire someone who is brave enough to look around and decide to make a change.

keep us posted

[Iguanasan]

Thanks for sharing. I applaud yours (and others in this forum) tenacity and desire to make things better for yourselves.

[Michaelaw]

I must stop doing this, I typed out a whole response then come back later and realize I closed the page before submitting.

I feel your pain AL I hate when that happens,it's like "Damn!...I gotta type that out again?"...." That's crap!, my computer should have saved that someplace!" ...." It should have warned me!..."Are you sure you want to close this page without posting what you wrote?"..........Frustrating

[Marko]

Good on you for putting it out there Kawarthabob