Fifty-four years ago this month I left my relatively
sheltered life on the banks of Lake Ontario from the small town of Webster, New
York to begin a new life in Atlanta, Georgia. It was quite a transition from
being surrounded by the red maple trees and rural life in western New York to
the tall pine trees and red dirt of north Georgia. At that time, Atlanta was
just an up and coming city trying to make a name for itself.
My oldest sister, Jan, and her husband, Curt, lived here and
it was at their invitation that I made the big move. My high school diploma was
still wet and I needed a place to go to get some advanced education. My high school goal was to attend a small
campus of the New York State University system and major in education and
international studies. My family’s finances could not make that dream a
reality, so I flew to Georgia to attend a much more reasonably priced Executive
Secretarial program that would train me to enter the workforce sooner rather
than later.
It was at times a difficult adjustment due to the different
cultures. The Old South was still very much a reality in the early Sixties and as
a Yankee my accent and interests stood out like a sore thumb. I think everyone
assumed that when I got my training that I would return to New York to look for
a job. A funny thing happened on the way to graduation. I decided I liked the Southern lifestyle and
especially the weather—no blistering cold and lake effect snows for five months
every year.
So many good things have happened to me since I left my
comfort zone and embarked on a new way of life. Interesting jobs, marriage, children,
a spiritual renewal, more education, a second marriage, a liver transplant, and
good health in my later years to enjoy all that God has provided.
I have been blessed with Southern girlfriends who at times tease
me about my Yankee roots. When I moved here I was 100% Yankee. But now based on
the number of years I’ve lived here, I am 25% Yankee and 75% Southern.
My memoir, Born Three
Times—A New Life, A New, A New Love, fills in the blanks and tells the rest
of my story. It tells the story of God’s amazing gift of second chances and
provides inspiration for those who are going through difficult times. I would
like to reach more people with the message of my book. You can help by clicking below on my Frieda
Dixon, Author Facebook Page. After you open my page, be sure to click LIKE. My goal is 100 LIKES which will help me become more visible on Facebook. Thanks
for your help and support of my blog.
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