The day has come to pack up and ship out! Katie, my sister who arrived on tuesday, and I have had a tiring and busy week of packing, cleaning, and prepping for our camping trip. I really don't think I could have done all of it without her here. Alas, I am too emotionally attached to my material belongings and needed a second opinion. Katie turned my apartment into an episode of Hoarders, or some HGTV cleaning show. Piles of keep, ship, and goodwill litter the floor around my very tiny apartment. Getting rid of so much makes me feel free in a way. Like I'm some rail rider from the 1930's with only my sack and the clothes I'm wearing on to take with me (I think Katie would whole heartily disagree with that statement). Initially I was a little panicky about getting rid of everything but then I realized how much a U-haul is and suddenly I felt good about it. We did try and squeeze in some fun activities in among the brutal job of packing. Blues on the Green and night swimming in Barton Springs, I highly recommend. Master Pancake at the Alamo Drafthouse and some good food of course!
So the car is packed and we are ready. All I have to do now is say goodbye.
You know the cheesy saying, as one door opens another closes. It's a very simple concept, to end one chapter and inevitably begin another. As simple as this may seem, there is nothing simple or easy about saying goodbye. I feel as though I've left little parts of my heart scattered around amongst my dearest and oldest friends. I've had to say goodbye, whether for brief or long periods of time, to people who have impacted my life in ways I have yet to understand. It never gets any easier. I've made it a point to keep in touch with these people because I understand now what it means to find good friends in this world. One is only as brave or as strong as the people standing behind and beside them. It is with great sadness that I say goodbye to some amazing and wonderful people here in Austin. I am so grateful for all of them and how they've made the past few years an experience of a lifetime.
I think we can all say that I was never truly a Texas woman and was always destined to make my way back to eastern shores. I never thought I would love Austin as much as I do and that's because of the friends I've made. I've grown during these past few years into an adult. Shocking. I never really felt like one until this past year when I finally felt settled into who I am. So now it's time to take this show on the road, as my mother always says, and test out this new independent and strong woman I think I've become. And so opens another door and through it begins a great adventure!
I am going to leave you with a song (get used to this because I can be quite inarticulate at times) that exemplifies the emotions I have about leaving. The Head and the Heart are one my favorite bands and I hope you enjoy.
P.S. sorry about the nakedness.....or not...?
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