chapter two

I'm going to start at the beginning of Chapter Two, and then write it as the story unfolds. Chapter One was a long one, an introduction of sorts to my life, which stretched over 30 years. The story could have ended there, but the story would have finished with a feel-good, predictable ending. The thoughts of 'there must be more' resulted in the start of a new chapter, Chapter Two.

Chapter Two starts at the beginning of 2010. The setting - a small ski resort town situated on Lake Wanaka, New Zealand. The Characters - Taryn, thats me. Daniel, my husband, and our newborn son, Oscar Jack. 


My father flew in to meet his first grandchild. While he was with us, he encouraged us to dream, and to dream big. Dream without looking at our circumstances and finances. He asked us to write down and submit our Dream Wish List to him within 7 days. My life's ambition was to be a mom. I was living out this dream. The 7 days went by and I would quieten myself, my thoughts, my mind and think about what I wanted out of life, and the only word I got was TRAVEL. How could that be possible with a newborn? I spoke to my father and felt almost tearful. 'Dad, I'm frustrated! I can't dream anymore!' The only thing I could think about was my vision I had years before. It was an image of Daniel and I walking away in the distance, a baby on my hip, and Daniel holding a guitar. We were going … going where? I do not know. 


In August of that year, feeling unsettled, I found myself on my hands and knees crying out to God for change. A few mornings later, I was chatting with my dad online and he said, 'you are just about to start the next chapter of your lives. In fact, it is unfolding as we speak.' An hour later, Daniel arrived home from work, and announced that he had been made redundant. Life as we knew it, and our on-going application for New Zealand residency, came to an abrupt end. We had two weeks to leave the country. I burst out laughing! Not from nerves or fear, but out of pure excitement. I saw myself in the scene of the Alice in Wonderland movie where Alice had just drunk the potion, holding a bunch of keys in her hand, and was looking at all the doors wondering which one to walk through. 


We walk and talk. Walk and pray. Walk and think. Walk and dream… so we walked. Walking along the lake. Talking, praying, dreaming. All of a sudden I was dreaming again. We could do anything, go anywhere. 


We found that as we talked out our ideas, our dreams, they were soon becoming a reality. Tickets were booked, contacts were made throughout the world, visas were being applied for, furniture was sold, we were packing, moving, farewell parties, last goodbyes. 

Boarding the first flight of many, with a baby on my hip, and a guitar in Daniel's hand, I was struck with overwhelming emotion. Sad ones saying goodbye to family & good friends, and leaving the Land of the Long White Cloud; and happy ones with the excitement of the unexpected & discovery of new cultures, new lands.