Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back…*

That’s a line from a song that I just love and kind of describes my life right now. When I found out that the MMBP in BC** didn’t get funded and I was going to have to completely rearrange my life, I was so disappointed and discouraged. I didn’t know if there were any jobs in the US where I could live in an urban area and still practice midwifery in the way I had been hoping to. However, I was determined to see what was out there, and found the options and opportunities to be very interesting. In the end, I’ve accepted a position with a practice in Cambridge, MA. I really feel that it is a place where I can practice midwifery, have a voice for change, be happy, and find a home. I’m just beginning the long credentialing process, and really, really looking forward to getting back to work. It turns out, that when one door closes, you can open the one across the hall if you have the right tools.

In the meantime, I plan to do a bit of traveling, relax, do some singing and a lot of yoga. And maybe spend a month in Mexico learning Spanish. We’ll see. This whole experience has taught me that allowing yourself to be open to the possibilities can bring so much into your life. It’s brought me people I didn’t even know I needed, insights into my own character and drive that I’d never explored, and a great midwifery opportunity that I almost didn’t apply for.

I’m also working on a series of posts about midwifery and the culture and counterculture surrounding it in the US. I figure, if I’m going to stay in this country and practice here, I need to use the voice that I do have to try and open up some doors. Or at least enter the dialogue. I’m talking posts, music, video clips, short films, webisodes– whatever we need to talk on every level. So look for these in the coming days and weeks, and share them with your friends. Let’s get people talking. Let’s be open and honest and respectful of each other. Let’s join the party and hope that even if we are a little late, the killer heels that we are wearing garner some excitement.

Namaste.

*Florence + the Machine
**Thus ends my ‘becoming a canadian midwife’ tag