quinquennium: a period or cycle of five years

When we try to look ahead at our lives, wondering what they will be like, generally we only look as far as the next quinquennium.  Taking a moment to look back at my life, the last quinquennium has brought me so much change.  Starting in the small town of Krasnoyarsk, Russia working as a nanny, I learned a lot not only about the Russian culture, but about myself as well.  I survived a car accident, but still was not strong enough to stand up for myself and tell people how I really felt, too afraid of hurting anyone's feelings.  Fed up with grossly unhygienic living conditions, after eight months my travels took me to the south of France.

Now living in Nice, working again as a nanny, I have grown into my skin a little more.  I'm finally starting to develop a sense of who I really am, what I really want, think, or like.  Having been away from home for a while, no longer am I influenced by my mother's opinions.  Through all the experiences I've had over the last year, I'm becoming more capable of speaking my mind.  The more I am around my current employer, the more daring I become.  After spending Christmas day in the kitchen doing dishes, eating the scraps of this rich family's meal, my reserve is crumbling quite fast.  With an altercation nearly every month that I have been working for this family, I now have no problem standing up for myself, and despite my commitment to spend a year here, it is time for me to move on after just five months.

Finding myself back home in Canada, ready to set down some roots, life itself has other plans for me.  Upon discovering that my grandmother is ill, a move from one end of the country to the other ensues.  It's all for the better though since I was having a hard time finding work.

It takes me a full year to settle in here, find a place I'm happy to live, a job I enjoy, friends to go out with.  But it's the next three years that bring the most change.  The biggest change to my life thus far, and the greatest part of my life as well.  Nine months of waiting somewhat impatiently, my first daughter is born.  Another fourteen months later, my second daughter is born.  Looking back on the last quinquennium, I never would have guessed that I would have gone from travelling about with no responsibilities, not a care in the world, to becoming a mother of two darling little angels.

Despite all the ups and downs, all the trials and tribulations, all the good days and bad days, I wouldn't change a thing.  With my children in my life, I am looking forward to the next quinquennium even more, and the one after that, and the one after that.  And now I ask you..... What will your next quinquennium bring?