A quick search for quotes about “following your heart” yields over 23 million results. Over 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to relocate to London for... love. I decided to follow my heart, not that I had ever set foot in Europe before (I had certainly dreamed about it!) or had a nice job waiting for me. Unfortunately, things weren’t as lovey as I hoped and I quickly realized that I was in a dead end relationship. However, I had no one to turn to and nowhere to go. If I left the relationship, I would be stranded in unfamiliar territory. I felt very stuck.
It was the middle of dreary winter when I packed up my two suitcases, stepped out of the flat into the rain, locked up and slid the key under door. I had no way to get back in and my first thought was I should have grabbed an umbrella. So much for planning.
I trudged over to corner store drenched, bought a calling card, found a payphone and called home miserable to Hawaii. My mother answered and I cried myeyes out. From over 7,000 miles away, she said rather matter-of-factly, “Well, if you’re having such a tough time in London, just come home.”
I don’t know what I was expecting to hear, but “come home” was not it. I wiped the tears away, pulled myself together and said, “I think I’ll be OK, Mom.”
Next I called an acquaintance who had been transferred to London from Hong Kong. One call led to another and eventually a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend three times removed helped take me in. Temporary, yes, but it would give me time to get on my feet. I felt empowered and grateful.
London winter; the weather was miserable, disgusting. Rather than cry any more into my tea, I decided to train for the London Marathon that was scheduled in April. I spent those next months running a lot.
I love to run. That’s another way I see the world. Wherever I travel, I put my shoes on and off I go. That’s how I saw a lot of London.
And that’s how I eventually made friends with another runner who one day said, “Let’s climb Mount Everest.”
~ Jennifer Li is President Elect of the Junior League of Honolulu and Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawaii Office. Post 2 of 3
