While last week I wrote in broad strokes about moving in general, this post is being written in a bare bedroom in San Diego on one of my last nights “living” in this city.
It’s a bittersweet time. While last weekend I was getting fed up with moving, that was directed towards the process, not the place. This weekend, with little to do other than what boils down to administrative aspects of moving, I could do more reflection.
Tonight I drove around my frequently visited locations, as well as my company’s office. I then took a long walk around the area, and was feeling very emotional. Slightly choked up. This is my first home outside of Minnesota, where I first tentatively toed the line of adulthood as an intern, then took a firm step into my future a year later. That will always give me a significant connection.
At the same time, I’m excited to be moving in with my best friend. Having somewhere to share each day with is a wonderful thing, and it brings new opportunities for both my personal and professional lives. Personally, I have someone to hold me accountable, someone to go exploring with, and simply to cook food with. (Cooking for two is much simpler in my experience than cooking for one.) Professionally, it’s made me think about what I want from work, rather than what’s been handed to me. I can leverage the world’s situation, as well as my remote status, to discover new roles that may fit me as our company grows beyond what it had intended just a year ago.
I’ll always love San Diego, and I am certainly planning on being as frequent a visitor as I can. The entire city feels like a second home. Balboa Park in all its glory is a second Disneyland (albeit with different attractions and a cost that’s easier to stomach.) I rediscovered a love for hiking while acquiring an appreciation for the ocean.
Perhaps my greatest disappointment is that I only made it to two Padres games, and am leaving right as they’re about to become an exciting team again. At the same time, I’m only a few blocks from Oracle Park in San Francisco, so that’s something.
Moving is hard, but journeys can be exciting. I’m looking forward to continuing this one.