A friend and I recently moved in together in a new city. We know each other very well; our shared history is loaded with plenty of smiles and tears to go around. We have a strong personal connection and bond, and we know quite a bit about each other’s past lives, but the catch is: no one else here does.
No one here knows a single thing about either of us. And that’s an incredibly beautiful thing.
Let’s face it: moving is stressful. It either makes me gain several pounds or forces me to shed them. More often than not, it absolutely murders my bank account to a third degree, because no amount of budgeting and pre-planning prepares you for unexpected, cross-country, and very permanent trips.
Quite frankly, the whole idea of re-starting my life once again, especially after two years of a nomadic lifestyle, terrifies me. However, it’s also thrilling, and whenenver I feel both of these extremes at once, I know that the decision I’m making will be worth it in the end.
Let’s look at the positive side: moving gives us a fresh start and a brand new perspective, a chance to renew ourselves. It also helps free and release us from any sickly ties and burdens that were previously dragging us down or chaining us to the person we no longer felt comfortable being. No, moving will not magically improve your life, but your attitude towards it will.
If you open yourself up to the incredible experiences you will have, to meeting new people and letting them into your circle of trust, to falling in love with yourself again in a new place, to re-discovering who you are and why you’re here and why you’re living the way you’ve chosen to live, then all of these “things” and moments will become opportunities for beautiful personal growth.
You will be a better human for it, and therefore, so will everyone else around you. Our choices and actions have a ripple effect, so try your best to give exactly what you would like to receive and you won’t be disappointed.
God is loyal to those that dare to follow and create their own stories… Much more loyal than we could ever imagine.
Trust me, go for it.
Photo: David Boston / San Francisco, California, USA
belén/alemán 
“No one here knows a single thing about either of us. And that’s an incredibly beautiful thing.”
I spend a lot of time thinking about perception: judgement, stereotyping, first impressions, etc. What you wrote is really profound. It is very much ‘an incredibly beautiful thing’ to wipe off the mask of who you’re supposed to be. There’s a judgement inherent there that you can’t avoid. It’s what ends up bogging you down and making you feel like you’re stagnating. Sometimes I resent that there’s a way that I’m supposed to be…even though I’ve worked carefully to build that person and I like him a lot.
Keep writing, keep reflecting, keep moving forward…and welcome to my city.