ABOUT US
When we moved from Chicago to France it was for “forever”. In la vie en France, life became full,- sometimes too full, and they realized that “forever” could be another 20+ years. After twelve years of a very active “retirement” in France, they decided, in 2012, to make a second attempt at retirement, this time in The Republic of Panama. Each formed by their lives in religious communities, ministry, teaching, organizational development and psychology, Linda and Val bring a perceptive, prayerful, carefully considered and often comical view to these years of “retired life”.
When they first announced their move from Chicago in 1999, after 25 years of their professional careers, people asked “Why France? “. As they said their goodbyes in France to move to Panama, friends asked “Why Panama?” – For Val and Linda, life is a journey and the journey is their life. After establishing successful careers in America’s corporate life and Chicago real estate, and over twenty-five years of marriage, Val and Linda decided to exchange their master’s degrees, in Divinity, Theology, Public Health, and Clinical Social Work, their professional licenses, certifications, their careers, and their Chicago urban lifestyle for village life in the South of France.
When we moved from Chicago to France it was for “forever”. In la vie en France, life became full,- sometimes too full, and they realized that “forever” could be another 20+ years. After twelve years of a very active “retirement” in France, they decided, in 2012, to make a second attempt at retirement, this time in The Republic of Panama. Each formed by their lives in religious communities, ministry, teaching, organizational development and psychology, Linda and Val bring a perceptive, prayerful, carefully considered and often comical view to these years of “retired life”.
When they first announced their move from Chicago in 1999, after 25 years of their professional careers, people asked “Why France? “. As they said their goodbyes in France to move to Panama, friends asked “Why Panama?” – For Val and Linda, life is a journey and the journey is their life. After establishing successful careers in America’s corporate life and Chicago real estate, and over twenty-five years of marriage, Val and Linda decided to exchange their master’s degrees, in Divinity, Theology, Public Health, and Clinical Social Work, their professional licenses, certifications, their careers, and their Chicago urban lifestyle for village life in the South of France.
“It is good for the soul to be uprooted now and again; transplanted, trimmed and pruned. And in this, once in a lifetime adventure, we create a little garden that nourishes the soul; le petit Jardin de l’âme a Jardincito del Alma ”
- on linda’s mind -
Life is a journey. My journey has been and continues to be an amazing experience of growth and discovery through unlearning.
When we, fellow journeyers, were little ones, we were like sea sponges deeply absorbing into ourselves the expectations, assumptions, and messages from the world around us. Messages about how to walk, how/when to laugh—what was appropriate and what was not. Messages from family, church, school, TV, books, pets, plants, city, politicians…. Often, we didn’t understand those messages, but they left a powerful impression deep within. In our teens we began to challenge those messages when something within us resisted. We were assured by others that those messages were appropriate and so we put the intuitive soul messages from within ourselves into the background while we tried to sort the without and the within. When we became adults (18??!!), without our realizing it, we thought that our life work and guide was to honor those messages—or was it?
This blog is going to be occasional (sometimes amusing and sometimes heartbreaking) examples of my experience sorting out those preconceived messages and coming to know my own strong, beautiful, soul.
My life experiences may remind you of your own journey. I’ll be interested in hearing what you discover.
August 15, 2023
- on val’s mind -
In the revision of this website for 2023, We wished to create space for our individual content rather than the entire site being a joint venture. Therefore, this site has set up separate pages for Val and for Linda to develop each as they like.
At first, I thought to use this space much as I have used the quarterly Newsletter From Panama. But I decided to keep the Newsletter as it is and use this space differently. If you are not already on the Newsletter mailing list and would like to receive it send an email to mail@petitjardin.com and I can add you to the list.
I will use this space – On Val’s Mind – to post my reflections, musings, and wonderments from everyday experiences. I will post them periodically when the spirit is willing. Maybe someday they will become a book of meditations, but for now they will be sporadic and intermittent. So, come to this page often and perhaps you will find something new… possibly inspiring… and at times, maybe even amusing, a little food for the soul.
Sunday, 29 January, 2023