Transitioning

In January of 2002 Chris and I closed escrow on a great historical property with the intention of running a bed and breakfast in the style that both of us loved: warm, home-like spaces where guests were welcomed with care but not intruded upon; wonderful creative breakfast fare served daily on our wedding china and crystal; the chance to act as ambassadors to an area we'd lived in for ten years and wanted to share. In a few years, A Butler's Manor was named the top-ranked bed and breakfast in the Hamptons, a ranking we continue to enjoy and be proud of.

It's our baby, carefully curated and loved and agonized over and gratified by.  Our blood has run in this business, our sweat literally poured into every inch of the ground it sits on, every corner and crevice of the structure.

But it's time to stretch, to find where next we need to be. The time (market, buyers) has not been right to sell, so last fall, we decided upon Plan B. In order to grow and change and transition ourselves into our next level, we need to let go of the day-to-day running of the operation. To that end, we sought full-time managers who would understand our vision and our mission, and who were new enough to the process to bring fresh air into every aspect of the business without losing sight of our brand and our clientele.

We feel fortunate indeed to have found Dina and Ralph, who are energetic and committed and intuitive and people-oriented and, most of all, fun! They're looking for a six month adventure and we're looking for our next adventure.

So...after an intense few weeks spent training, mentoring, brainstorming and, best of all, laughing and having fun, Chris and I drove away late last week to return to California and see if it's truly where we'll eventually end up.

In 1992 I left a career in advertising and marketing to move to the beautiful but remote East End where there was no work for me. A paycheck, setting and making goals in order to garner the occasional pat on the head...it was what I knew and who I was. And suddenly I was just over 30 years old and had no idea who I was without my job. It's a transition retirees and mothers recognize when they have spent years, decades, lifetimes defined by their job identity. Back then, I spent 18 months trying to realign myself as a person with a purpose if not a job. It took me over a year before I found my writing voice and knew that regardless of where were went and what we did, this I would never lose. Will this sustain me now, in this new, even greater transition? I don't know. I expect to explore this and many related themes in the months ahead.

In my dreams, I continue to clean and clear out the master suite for Dina and Ralphs to use, a metaphor I recognize as clearing out space for future abundance.

So as we drive with the sunrise of the east behind us, I keep my eyes open for the signs of the future. We'll be home in California tonight, and back in the Hamptons in the fall. And anything is possible in between So many emotions. Bittersweet. Sad. Scared. Excited.

Not sure what will be the next adventure, but bring it. I'm ready!