When visiting my sister, she mentioned that her 10 year high school reunion was coming up and it made me reflect on the seven years I've been out of high school. I thought about the relationships I still have, the ones I no longer have and the new ones that are just now forming.
As I reflected I thought about the people I've had the privilege of meeting on the east coast. I formed relationships with all sorts of people: young, old, neighbor, bus driver, roommate, community mate, Bills fans, bartender, teacher, councilor and plain ol' friend. Their stories and their love has formed me into the person I am today. But it definitely came with a trade off. For the three years I've been on the east coast, I've missed birthdays, weddings, taco Tuesdays, movie night, going away parties and babies being born with my friends on the west coast (and they laid the foundation for who I am).
At my hostess job, I strike up conversations once in a while with men going to watch "the game" and they ask where I'm from. When I tell them, they say, "wow, that's really far. Why are you still here?" I always come up with a cutsie response like, "well, this bar needs me" or something like that. In actuality, I feel like the luckiest woman alive...as my new assistant teacher would say, "I am blessed."
I have people who have touched my life spanning from Korea to California, from Maine to Texas and Detroit to Seattle. I am blessed and I wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, I am sad that I miss so many amazing things my friends in Washington are doing and the pictures I see or the hour-long phone chats we have make me want to pack up and move back but then I think to myself, "dang, once I move back, I'll have the same longing to be back in DC with my friends there."
My dad always says, "what if history is silly history" but for kicks, what if I had never moved to the east coast? I wouldn't have missed weddings, birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers or taco Tuesdays but think of all I would've missed out on: Cowboy Tito's dance moves, Ms. Angie's humor and friendship, Mr. T in Bridgeport who showed me the true meaning of social justice, watching a student get adopted!, meeting many amazing roommates, seeing major cities in the US, reconnecting with my Jersey family, representing the 'Hawks at bars on Sundays, going to Costa Rica, forming my Miriam's Kitchen family. I have been blessed. Is it possible to have too many blessings? It's overwhelming when you think about it; I mean really think about it. Think of the Christmas or Hannukah cards you get around the holidays...those people love you and were part of some fiber that helped make up you.
Too many blessings...taking a step back to reflect on my choice to move out here has left me feeling full. I feel like the relationships that chose me have been the greatest and most rewarding blessings I have.
