By LIZ MARCHI
I don’t know if it’s the holidays, winter or age, but of late “there is no place like home.” We are very fortunate to live in a beautiful spot. Like many of us in Montana, we enjoy spectacular views of mountains, lakes and rivers and always that Big Sky. One of the things I am becoming to own with age is that “work” doesn’t define a life. I love my work but am pretty sure that there are younger, smarter people who can and will do the work I love better than me. Then there are these grandchildren who are becoming real people.
I have been guilty of whining about living in a very small town with little opportunity for me to do the work I do. I contemplated a move to Bozeman but know I would never be happy being away from the man I adore and love, my husband Jon or our cows and corgis. I love Facbeook because it gives me a time stamp for life events. Two years ago today I posted a piece about “handing off” my work in organizing capital for early stage entrepreneurs. However, it’s taken me two years to even begin to let that go. Not that I am not deeply involved in that presently, but my “next” project will be something different.
I am moving on a bit and finding new interest in food, health, wellness both physical and mental and well-being. As we age, I do find it is intimidating to jump into a new vertical and be a neophyte. I continue to believe in lifelong learning but one needs to be deliberate in that pursuit. I am enjoying the pace of life more. I have learned to sleep, I am saying no to driving 1,000 miles for meetings and I am finding real joy in being present and available for those I love: my family, husband and my aging parents.
Learning the peace that comes from contentment has been a real effort. I have looked at life mostly from lens of what we can change to make it better. That still matters but I am relishing the appreciation of that which is good, beautiful and meaningful.
How grateful I am for home this holiday season, friends, family and the beautiful place in which we live and grow, Montana.
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Liz Marchi lives on a ranch in Polson, Montana with her husband Jon. She is the Fund Coordinator for the Frontier Angel Fund and spends a lot of time thinking and learning about entrepreneurs, the economy and Montana’s unique place in the world. She has three daughters and a stepson and daughter and a grandchild. She graduated from Hollins College and is entering the final quarter of life…unless we go into overtime.