Tuesday, February 19, 2013

My Five Year Anniversary

It's been 5 years today since I left my husband. Since then, there have been panic attacks, assault charges, self-doubt, too much alcohol, a summer I'm surprised I survived, fear of the unknown, fear of the known, heartaches, and a gluten/dairy allergy. 

There has also been sunrises with friends at Tucker Park, singing Spice Girls at PUMP, staying up all night with my favorite boys (Jake and Eyoha), meeting Dana Miller who is the sexiest squirrel I know, and meeting Kristen Parlee who I don't talk to often but has taught me to be confident in my own quirks (I don't know if I ever told her that).  There have also been the friends who have been there forever (Hello Jess Fleet) and friends that came by exactly when I needed them the most (hello, Vi)...there has also been a mommy who has made everything better more often than a mom should have to!

There have been nights drinking cheap wine with Jersey Shore and too many people crammed on one bed.  There have been nights in the Baron office laughing my butt off because I met the most awesome people that day.   

There have been wonderful profs who have kept me going when I didn't know if I could handle another day of academic (or just life) insanity (here's looking at you Cheryl Fury, Janice Noël and Professor Marquis)! 

There have been experiences I never thought possible - traveling to Victoria, British Columbia, Saint John's NFLD for Valentines Day last year and Ottawa in the Fall! A burlesque show in Victoria (and getting to chat with the girls after), Seeing the War Museum, the Undersea Museum and the Parliament Building at night - magical moments!

There have been new men who have made me grow up (Hello Jeff - Goodbye Jeff), men who made me realize that I definitely could fall for someone again (Hello D) and even a guy I was able to love with (hello, Jon). Not all boys suck.  

I would also like to take this moment to maintain my innocence when the cafeteria cart went missing because we were drinking and it seemed like fun to ride it.  Or the spinny chairs...and the vaccuum cleaner incident with Sam that will never be spoken of again...we didn't do it.  

In the past 5 years, I was able to meet some amazing people: two Holocaust survivors, the CEO of Delta Hotels, and Peter freaking Mansbridge.  And baby, I got to interview The Mahones!!  I also met this wonderful nun who helped me realize that social activism is a personality trait as much as it is an action.  Sister Roma is one of my inspirational people!

Finally...there's me.  I was strong enough five years ago to break down crying, call my mom and tell her I needed to come home.  I was smart enough to keep the emails of his chats with Ms. Smith until I could say "Yes, what he did was wrong and I needed to leave."  I was crazy enough to have a "Bye Bye Baby" party and burn all the things that belonged to him (and possibly a real live 5ft sturgeon fish) with Dana and Violet (last name: Sturgeon - no relation). This fire possibly may have included his graduation diploma...maybe.

 So, as I sit here with my chocolate avocado pudding (thank you Charlotte), the past five years of my life look pretty darn amazing and my future just keeps getting bigger and better!

Cheers!