Leaving Minnesota

Everything is packed. This is what I'm taking with me across the country: 

So here I am: leaving again. I've been thinking a lot about the act of leaving, about saying goodbye and how I've almost gotten used to it within the last few years of my life. It's not like when I was a sixteen or eighteen year old, saying goodbye to friends felt so empty and hollow, like space was missing from my life. Now I feel so confident that the people who matter to me and who are essential in different times in my life will come back into my life when they need to, saying goodbye is not so hard. Maybe I'm jaded, but I've said goodbye to say many people I have been so close to at different points, and whom I have never seen again that I feel comfortable knowing that people are in your life at certain times for certain reasons, and I know they will continue to be as needed. Loving people for who you knew when you knew them and letting them pass out of your life at appropriate times is important, too.

I feel so ready to go. This summer has been everything I needed: there has been a lot of sadness, but so much love and joy from my friends and family has come to me as well. I have worked through the worst of the sadness I felt in Venezuela and have felt strong and healthy for the last month. Leaving the Depot and all the memories and story that place holds once and for all will be exactly what I need. I have my last night in the club lounge this evening, then tomorrow at 10:30 I'll be leaving the lovely apartment I've lived in for the last year, getting on a plane and flying to LA for a year. I am so emotionally and physically ready to go. The time has come for the next adventure and I'm running forward with opened arms!

This last weekend when I was at home for my family's going away party for me and Anna, I took a final walk around on my parent's property, sat on the warm, familiar ground and took some more deep breaths of the fresh Valley air before heading out. This was followed by a beautiful going away party with so many old friends and neighbors. It was delightfully warm and joyful. I love the people of the Valley. I have truly been blessed to have grown up in such a place, and to be able to go home so often this summer. I have spent the week saying goodbye to everyone, going out to dinner or breakfast, giving hugs and furniture. I had a going away party with my friends, which was low-key and pleasant. I will miss my people and community in Minneapolis as well. One day I believe I will be coming back here.


But for now I am off to the next and newest adventure! A job, a house and new relationships and stories await me! For whatever reason, Los Angeles is the next place I'm supposed to go, so I will go with opened arms and an opened heart.



Final images of northern Minnesota...