Writing my articles a week in advance, I can sometimes forget that a special holiday or event is on the horizon and as I sit in my office smelling the fragrant roses my hunny has sent me, I realize that everyone reading my article on February 14th would be given no Valentine greeting.

So here it is, a week late. I hope you all had a magical Valentine’s Day and that you all ate too much chocolate.

This year marks the third Valentine’s Day with my sweetheart and we are now planning our upcoming wedding in September.

It is a wonderful time of life and even though I will have had my 50th birthday just before our wedding, I feel as giddy as a young lady walking down the aisle for the first time.

What has changed is my desire for a big spectacle of a wedding and I am looking forward to entertaining a few friends and close family while we exchange our simple and heartfelt vows.

It seems the first time we do something big, it is done with gusto and a great deal of enthusiasm as we launch out into our first home buying experience, renovation or even wedding!

I find that with most life-altering experiences we take the mindset that we ‘never want to do this again’.

Never want to live through the mess of a renovation or never have to pack up a home and move and CERTAINLY never want to get married again!

We dig in and give our all to a project or relationship with the hope that this will be the last time for this endeavour.

Sometimes, the paint fades on our 10-year-old walls and our tastes and needs change over time.

A house that used to be perfect for us can suddenly seem crowded after a few children or a couple of new dogs. Sadly, some relationships change and fade and must be packed away and labelled as experience when they can no longer work, and we find ourselves in a similar yet completely different situation – a completely different home if you will.

When the time comes to renovate again or move to a new house we boldly take up the task and start again but our experience is the voice in the back of our heads telling us to move more slowly and to make our decisions in a more organized and practical fashion.

The excitement is still there, and the experience of newness and a fresh start gives everyone a burst of energy, yet we still go ahead with careful steps based on what our experience has taught us about this familiar experience.

When you are planning for life, for those big things that come your way, remember to inhale the joyful feeling that comes with newness of life or location.

Keep in mind that what you are planning for today will not stay stagnant and that change is an inevitable part of life but don’t let this fact bring fear or doubt into your horizon.

Even the laborious change of altering homes or creating new relationships will have many moments of brightness and unbelievable delight.

It won’t be what it once was, but it will be unlike anything you have ever experienced before and this is the satisfying experience that we call life.

Kim Wyse is a Central Alberta freelance designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Ask a Realtor/Ask a Designer’.