Saying Goodbye

Author A.A. Milne, the man behind Winnie the Pooh, once wrote, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”  As I get closer to making the big move from Idaho to Florida, that’s kind of how I feel.

When I was younger, I often dreamed of the day I would leave my hometown and move to the bright lights of the big city.  I thought I was too cool for this small town (which really isn’t all that small), and I couldn’t wait to be surrounded with busy-bodied people like myself. But now that the time is here, I have to admit that I am a bit nervous to go. From my home in Idaho, Walt Disney World is roughly 2,633 miles away.  Not that that’s a terrible amount, I’ve traveled quite a bit, even went overseas for a short period of time after high school.  Still, I have never been this far away from home, for this amount of time (7 months).  I spent the majority of the past four years 300 miles away from home while at college, but at least there I was in the same state, and I knew that my time in that college town had a deadline: graduation.  But when it comes to Florida, I’m not sure when, or if, I will be back.  I haven’t even set foot in the state, but I’ve already been thinking that after this internship is over, I would like to go to graduate school somewhere in Florida, which would have me away from my hometown for another couple of years.  And after that…who knows! A job might keep me there, or I might find myself somewhere else. Maybe everything will come full circle and I will return to the great Potato State.  Despite my mild hatred towards this place when I was younger, the Gem State has grown on me.  It’s safe, the people are kind, there’s a lot to do, and the scenery is breathtaking. It’s the kind of place I can see myself growing old in, it’s where I was raised, and most importantly, it’s where my loved ones are.    

I got to spend this last Idaho weekend with some great friends, and a lot of my family. We had a BBQ in a local park, and I got to see some family members that normally I only see around the holidays.  I feel really lucky that I have so many family members and so many friends that I have to say goodbye to. Part of me hates it, because I am afraid I will miss something while I am away, but part of me loves it, because I have so many people encouraging me to pursue my dreams.  I’m grateful that I have so many people I will need to send postcards to!

As of right now, my future is completely unclear. But I think that’s okay.  I have so many wonderful people in my life, I know wherever I go, I will never be alone.