For the first time in many, many moons, I can breathe. No longer am I pacing over and over in my mind, going over each and every step I've taken since last August. August, you ask? Until now, August was the last time I felt sure of myself and the path my life had been following. I felt comfortable, and over the ensuing months I lost my footing more times than I can count. The path I had so confidently strolled since first setting foot on my post-high school journey started to twist and turn underneath my moccasins into something that I no longer walked with grace. Comfortability was replaced with uncertainty, security with a foreign concept of freedom. Never before had I felt such a fervent desire to be something other than I had ever been, and the thought of evolving in such a way was terrifying. This terror awoke a fear I had so long ago pushed aside, but it also embedded a new sense of realization. 2011 and 2012 brought about immense growth, but not in a way that resonated deep within the recesses of my 5'6" being. Leaving what was once an integral piece to my essence behind in order to find the other pieces of myself has been no easy battle, but I leave behind in good hands.
I stood at a crossroads last semester. Two roads diverged, laying themselves before me, and as much as every fiber of my being wished I could take both, no longer could I carry on without making the decision for myself. Plagued with uncertainty, this path has proven to be just as rocky as I expected. What I didn't anticipate was finding hands willing to clench tight, hands prepared to wipe tears away before they fall, and hands to hold as I figure it all out. Some of these hands belong to unexpected souls, but they are infinitely appreciated regardless.
An immense pressure has been relieved and an air of curiosity has replaced it. No longer am I searching for relief and tending to my battle scars but instead embracing the rockiness. A few bumps and bruises are welcome; anything to remind me of Robert Frost's road less traveled. So far, it's made all the difference.
live simply.
