Val Olson bids community a fond farewell

There are significant times in life when you leave the safety of your "comfort zone" and march into the land of the unfamiliar and uncharted.

As in all of life's cycle, sometimes this journey into the unknown has been plotted and planned, and at other times — it's a whirlwind of life events that spin you in a whole new direction. What can appear to be devastating at first glance, may prove to be "character building" in retrospect.

This is my last week at Bonner General and I'll be leaving my comfortable nest of "relative security" and enter the "retirement zone."

Yes, the time has come to bid a fond farewell to the office that has become a second home-the co-workers who have become lifelong friends-and a column that has let me share my ramblings for the past 15 years.

Those long-ago ramblings began with a noontime conversation with Jim Thompson, then publisher of the Daily Bee; and David Keyes, then editor of the Daily Bee. They listened as I expounded about the idea of having a page dedicated to important health and wellness issues.

They decided to "give it a go", and hundreds of articles later, the health page has continued its well-worn delivery of information about hospital services, the medical community at large, lifestyle and human interest stories, new physicians in town, and anything and everything that have to do with the "good health" and well-being of this community.

Many of you have weathered through my articles about walking in all its forms, facets and pleasures; as well as my observations about life in general.

I thank all of those who made by day by calling me about an article that may have "touched a heart or two", and ended up being sent to a friend or posted on the refrigerator door. I also thank those people who by extending a compliment or sharing a passion, inspired more than a few articles along the way.

It's been a good journey and one that has taught me the joy of living in the moment and passing it along.

As I end my career at Bonner General, I can proudly visit a project that has been near and dear to my heart these past two years, The Healing Garden. Through this project, I have felt like a "mama hen" as I tout its special highlights and see the beauty through each newcomer's eyes.

It has been my pleasure to have been involved with the garden committee members and gloried in each of their unique talents and passions. I plan to devote a good part of volunteer effort and "get my hands in the dirt" and do my part to maintain the sanctity of this beautiful garden on the grounds of Bonner General Hospital.

Best of all, I'll still be around our great community in the warm months, and drifting to the desert like so many "snowbirds" before me. You'll still see me around town, walking my familiar stride on the many trails and byways of our region.

As I make a new beginning — and I prefer to think of it as a beginning rather than an ending — I hope that I will continue to have the good sense to pass along a good word when it's needed, and give myself a "swift kick in the backside" when I start viewing too much daytime TV.

I have people to meet, creative ventures to start and mountains to climb.

Most of all, I hope we can all step back and give gratitude for this special place we live, and hope that we will have the good sense to respect and preserve the "nature of nature" in all its simple elegance.

It's been a pleasure and I now look forward to having the time to dig in the dirt, explore another trail, and meddle just a little more in the lives of my kids.