I want to move to the Pacific Northwest. I never thought I'd be saying those words. It's something that I never imagined. I always knew that I wanted to visit and in my heart I knew I would fall in love with all that it had to offer, but to move there?! I realize I'm too close to my family and love the comfort of all that is southern. I also know a part of me is missing something unwritten that will transcribe with a move across the country. I feel as thought I have had pieces to the puzzle all along, but it wasn't until this weekend that I saw how they fit.
I am so thankful, more than ever to be where I am in my life right now. The past year has been one of many changes and one thing I distinctly remember feeling in my last relationship was this...
My then boyfriend told me to follow wherever he was (location-wise) and insinuated at the thought that if I loved him I would go where he went after my commitment with Teach For America(TFA). It's funny how those thoughts and feelings were interpreted to me. It felt like the clock in my early twenties was ticking and post-TFA I had to be where he was (because that's what I knew he wanted) and if I loved him I would do so. <-- It makes me sick to even write that, but if you find yourself unable to relate to that sentence perhaps you haven't experienced that kind of love. When you do, I promise you'll understand. Before I was able to finish my commitment with Teach For America, my going where he went did not seem to be good enough. I remember feeling my heart break a little at the thought of not being able to choose a graduate school or take an opportunity based on what I had always imagined for myself. If that sounds selfish consider this: it is important when two people who love each other grow, understand, and support each other through our process of becoming. In order to love ourselves we must allow ourselves to become, and in order to love others we must love ourselves. While being together is important, I think it is necessary to support what the other wants, allowing you to nurture them, the relationship, and they themselves better. This may mean being together in the same city, or together (and not forever) but apart.
An evening sunset behind Mount Rainier
A part of me has wanted to apply to graduate schools and other opportunities out of the south, and just go somewhere unexpected. Washington state is exactly that--unexpected. I knew within about ten minutes of arriving to Seattle (err...maybe it was as I saw this beautiful sunset over Mount Rainier from the plane) that I saw myself living there.
If you've heard me rave about California, you may be thinking I am acting on instinct, but I can safely say that I like it at least three times better than I did California. A great part of it has to do with what I felt in Washington. The Seattle/Tacoma area felt completely laid back, beautiful, with perfect summer weather, and there was this lack of materialism that I didn't feel in California. All I know right now is my mind thinks about moving to Seattle all the time. It's on my mind, I'm making plans, and we will see where those thoughts take me.
Now for some nostalgia, here are some snapshots from my extended Labor Day weekend in Seattle with my wonderful friend and host Lisa. Expect some links to some amazing shots she took to come very soon.
I will leave you with a little something the beautiful Lisa left me with. Sadly we never got to hear it on our last adventure yesternight, but it is perfect.
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