I love the poem you quoted. I’m a big Frost fan, and I think of that one often. Thanks for taking the time to share it.

Do you know what part of France you’re going to?

All the best,
Susanna

Susanna

Having a special emergency return fund makes a LOT of sense!

All the best,
Susanna

Your website has been very helpful in getting me organized in preparation for a move to France in about 3 years.

One of my favorite poems by Robert Frost, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, is about depression and loss but also a wakeup call to remind us that we’ve got miles to go before we sleep:

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

I have a little mantra (for lack of a better term) that I employ from time to time in my life. If I am feeling uncertainty, anxiety, anger or any similarly debilitating, negative emotions I picture myself at the very last days of my life and as that older self I turn to the me of today and pass comment. The older me always says ‘just dont worry about the small things, just get on and enjoy your life, do what you can to have fun.’ Helps me keep perspective and be a bit more brave than I might have been otherwise.

I think it was Mark Twain that said something along the lines of ‘you’ll never regret taking that road, but you’ll always wonder about it if you don’t.’

Funny thing is, my regret seems to be a little in reverse?

While I was living in Mexico, my most dearly and beloved Grandmother started failing. She was nearing 86 and was beginning to show signs of Alzheimer’s Disease… with each call home to my parents, and with news of Grandma’s failings, I would inwardly cringe and endure stabs of pain in my heart, and try to shake off the guilt of me living my dream in another country, while Grandma suffered.

I couldnt afford to fly home regularly to be near her, and it was impossible to up and move back to the states, to be closer geographically. So, I tried to take the ‘bad news phone calls in stride….until the fateful day, when I was notified that she was in hospital. She never went home after that….
The worse of it all, after her being there for me all my entire life, loving me, being the best Grandma a young girl could ever have, I found it impossible to be able to fly home to attend the funeral. Again, lack of funds…and lack of being able to get away so quickly.

I have the rest of my life to live with that regret. Was it worth it to be “off” doing what I wanted to with my life? Well, I cant answer that. But, the price I will pay for the rest of my life, is the regret and pain that stays in my heart.
Living away is a wonderful adventure, but, it can have its drawbacks too.

The next time I leave the country to live, I will have a special fund for my “return” flight and living arrangements, should I ever need to be there for someone in my family, or a dire emergency.

Wonderful thought provoking post!
Best Regards,
Valerie Mosso
I

He retired and essentially did very little. My mother retired and finally became the artist that she always wanted to be, but didn’t have time to be while raising a family.

She taught me that it’s never too late to pursue your passions. He taught me that you have make an effort to do so or you’ll stop growing.

Living in another country is amazing. I did it as a child and to this day it informs the way I view the world.

As the commercial says, “Just do it!”