Goodbye Money, Hello Happiness

I am curious how many of you are working your jobs day after day, making pretty good money but really wishing you did not have to go back? The demands at work, running home and making dinner (still in your work clothes of course) driving your kids to soccer practice, volleyball, whatever. Then, off to get gas because you are still driving on empty, quickly going to the cleaners before they close so you don't have to wear the same silk blouse to work twice in the same week. Hurry, because practice is over and you have to pick up the kids, get home, clean up, help them with THEIR homework because the teacher assigned homework to the parents (that is crap by the way), yelling at your husband to mow the yard because the neighbor made a smart remark about it (if you're a single mom you have to mow it yourself, so hurry up). Great, the dog pooped in the corner again and nobody picked it up! Let me guess, it is about 10:00 now and you still have not had a chance to go to the bathroom?! However, you get paid pretty good money, have health benefits, so you're stuck doing the same thing everyday!
I loved my job that I had for 16 years, I loved the money and I love feeling important. I did not love that life was passing me by, the kids were growing up fast and I felt like I was in a constant state of anxiety.
I GOT LUCKY! I got sick. Very sick.
In the last two years I have had about seven surgeries, have been treated at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and need one more-going back in February. Lucky? Yes! I was forced to give up the chaotic pace of life and discovered real true love and happiness. During times of recovery I worked in my yard. I was not a gardener, did not know much about plants or flowers, but spending time outside helped me. I went to Lowe's everyday and looked at the plants and flowers. Read all of the tags, took pictures, smelled the blooms. It was quiet and peaceful. I started off buying two plants that said they were "hardy" and "resilient". They lied. However, I enjoyed buying them, figuring out where in the yard to plant them and admiring my work. Until they died. I was still lucky...I will tell you why later!