The Point of Change in My Life

A photo poem by Quinn McMorrow

One day in July 2017, I decided to take a trip with friends from Montreal to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. At the time, I had no idea how significant this trip would be. It was still early in my journey - just before I made the decision to make Canada my new home. Looking back now, I see that this was the true beginning of a new chapter. A turning point.

It marked the beginning of a massive shift in everything I thought I knew - about myself, about life, about how things are “supposed” to be. It was the start of a deep unraveling of old beliefs, identities, and conditionings. I couldn’t have known it then, but that moment sparked a series of experiences that opened me to an entirely new way of seeing the world.

It was the start of ongoing shedding and letting go.

Now, eight years later, I feel the cycle is closing. That chapter is coming to completion, and I find myself stepping into a brand-new phase of my life again.

But let me take you back to the beginning of that journey.

At the time, my world and my understanding of life were beginning to turn upside down. I had no idea just how much I would change - or perhaps, how much I would slowly begin to return to my true self.

I remember arriving in Cape Breton with my two friends. Looking back, I sometimes wonder what they thought of me. I must have seemed like such a strange, curious young woman. I’d love to ask them now.

The nature out east is simply breathtaking - just like the rest of Canada - but there is something uniquely wild and raw about the coastal landscapes. Especially the East and West Coasts - so different, so special in their own ways. I never lived on the East Coast, only visited, but I could immediately feel how warm, open-hearted the people were. Direct, down-to-earth, with a kind of rootedness that only comes from living so close to untamed nature. Winters are harsh, summers gentler, but always alive. The nature feels unfiltered, honest.

That first night, we found a place to camp on a rock near a cliff, so close we could feel the raw power of the Atlantic Ocean. The wildness. The roughness. The vast, untamed presence of nature all around us.

We sat together by the campfire under a sky full of stars, sharing rich and meaningful conversations. There was a deep sense of mutual respect and gratitude between the three of us as we exchanged stories, and reflecting on life.

I remember waking up after a stormy night in the tent that leaked, feeling damp but safe, and stepping out to see the sun dancing on the ocean’s surface. That moment - glittering light, raw earth, deep quiet - held so much wisdom.

And then there was that unforgettable moment when we sat on the rock, gazing down at the water, when suddenly, a gust of wind swept our tent into the air. We jumped up and ran, chasing it as it flew toward the ocean. Just in time, we grabbed it, moments before the deep sea could swallow it whole.

That day, we spent jumping from rock to rock, playing, laughing, and fully immersed in the present moment.

Curiosity has always been one of my strongest companions. A powerful inner force. It’s driven me to explore, discover, question, learn, and feel.

And on this trip, that curiosity was fully alive.

The second night we camped on a beach, tucked into a quiet cove. That memory lives in my bones. We set up our tent but didn’t sleep at all, we watched the sunset melt into the sea, and we watched the sunrise return. We kept our fire burning all night, its warmth keeping us close.

That night was pure magic.

Even more than the vastness of the country, I felt a vastness within myself. A sense of freedom, freedom to become who I wanted to be, to live how I wanted to live.

That freedom… I’ll never forget.

What I didn’t know then was that this would mark the beginning of a long journey of letting go.

Unconsciously, something in me already knew that change was coming. I felt fear. I felt grief. And I didn’t yet understand what it all meant. I only knew it felt like saying goodbye to an old version of myself - an old life, an old identity.

I remember trying to express this to my friends that night - how I sensed I had to let go of old things from the past. And while that was true, it was only the beginning. That moment was the first crack of awareness in what would become a long, sacred, and sometimes painful journey: a journey of releasing old programs, outdated stories, relationships, and the parts of myself I had clung to for safety.

This was The Point of Change.

Years later, I’m no longer the same person. I’ve moved through so much, and I’ve learned that pain and suffering, while difficult, are also sacred invitations to grow, transform, and reconnect with our true essence.

What I’ve come to realize is that our greatest pain often holds the seed of our greatest power. The discomfort, the heartbreak, the disorientation, it all has the potential to awaken something deeper within us.

We don’t just survive our pain, we can rise from it, wiser, softer, and more rooted in who we truly are.

Letting go is such an important part of this life journey. The more we hold on, the harder it becomes. But when we loosen our grip and choose to trust, life meets us. I’ve experienced this over and over - when I let go, life supports me in ways I could never have imagined.

Even when it’s painful, growth is part of the path. There’s really no way around it. We are here to evolve, to become more of who we truly are. And the more we resist it, the more suffering we create. But in the act of surrender - when we allow ourselves to trust and truly feel - there is such beauty, such freedom, such truth.

Through this process, we become more grateful. Less judgmental. More open and compassionate - not just with others, but with ourselves.

And this energy creates a deeper sense of connection, peace, and joy.

And at the end of the day, isn’t that what we all long for?

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