Are we Lucky?

Are we Lucky? It’s a question I often ask when we step out of our door. When we walk across the field to check the surf, walk down the hill onto a beautiful sandy beach, surf in crystal clear water and or ride and enjoy a landscape that has beauty in all seasons, I ask myself are we lucky?

“You’re so Lucky” is a comment I’ve had so many times when meeting passing visitors or friends who visit, or comments on social media. I suppose when you post a photo showing our beautiful location we call home, with the hashtag #lovekernow it’s arguably a comment you’re open to expect. But from who, and why are we lucky and not you?

But are we Lucky? My answer is no, and always my reply to those who make that innocent and well meant comment is “no we’re not lucky, we’re thankful, and grateful”. Because luck didn’t bring us to Cornwall, luck didn’t get us our house, luck didn’t play a part in the rollercoaster ride of the past 17 years both emotionally, physically and financially. Luck played no part in it whatsoever, just choices and sacrifice.  

We sacrificed our careers as teachers to move West. Both full-time salaried Teachers, my wife in Secondary School and myself in Post-16 College. Between us (pre child) we both had a healthy salary, but still we could not afford a house on the mortgage offers we received. So we made a choice, and the decision to start fresh, to try and change our futures, and move to Cornwall. 

Secondly we gave up the chance of living closer to our families. I was living close by to mine and I left behind a brother and elderly parents, (my father past away in 2018, but he was always supportive of all our decision). My Mum, bless her misses us everyday and that can be hard sometimes, but we visit as often as we can and I phone every other day. 

We left our friends, childhood friends, work friends, and community friends. We were at the heart of the Brighton Surfing community, many of whom I've not seen for the entire 17 years we have been in Cornwall. When I visit I have good intentions of catching up but it's hard with limited time. I want to spend it with my family the most, so visits are often restricted to a few beers up the pub, a good laugh or a cup of tea in the afternoon. 

We basically left our home and moved 300 miles away to the Wild West of Cornwall and the adventure began. Savings ran out very quickly, unemployment was brief but enough to remind us how close to the breadline we were. I quickly moved back into teaching, a career I thought i’d left behind, and my wife Jill followed. These jobs  were rocky too, with both of us suffering at the hands of awful bosses.  Lets just say that both of us experienced stress and anxiety over this period. Then can my Charity work, a rewarding role in part, a mental and physical disaster for the most. Hospitality followed which meant I rarely saw my family, working all unsociable hours and drained me beyond belief. 

Finally, Jill had found her feet after teaching, setting up a small textile business and working from home. She carved a little niche for herself whilst our son was at Primary school. She began, and still does have a little portfolio of jobs that have given her the time to concentrate of activities she loves. 

I decided to go back into construction as my last post explains and it has only been since then that life has settled. Of the 17 years living in Cornwall I would honestly say that it is only the last 5 years that have been healthy, stress free and structured. 

Are we lucky to live in Cornwall, no we’re thankful. Thankful that we made it through some really tough times, some troughs in health and well-being I wish to never feel again. I’m thankful I can walk out of my door and breath in the freshest air, swim in the cleanest ocean, on the cleanest beach, surf perfect waves somedays, ride my bikes on the hills that over look the ocean or the country lanes that rarely see a car in winter. I’m thankful I can bring our son up in this environemnt, and thankful that we made that choice all those years ago, to leave a place we loved, but didn’t leave us feeling content. I’m thankfull we stuck it out in Cornwall and dealt with each drama as it happened, together as a family. As tough as it was sometimes we got through and we now live life how we want to live. 

Are we Lucky? Not in the slightest. 

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