Do that thing that scares you
I know I said I would be in your inbox every Monday at 2 p.m. sharp, but hey, things happen.
When I started this blog, I wasn’t too sure as to what I was doing, I just knew I wanted to do it. Which brings me to why I am coming to your inbox from Colorado after a 27 hour cross country road trip. I’m not too sure what I’m doing, but I know I want to do it.
This first week here has been a little bit of what I was expecting, and a lot of what I was not.
There have been beautiful hikes everyday with views that leave me speechless every time, but there have also been lessons on how to do the “Ohio swing” on the side of the road at 2:30 in the morning. I have embraced my unpainted nails, reverted back to whole milk and become a beer girl (groundbreaking, I know). In short, I have learned a lot about myself.
Jersey girl, born and bred, I never had any plans to leave, at least not long term. Sure, I would marvel at the idea of moving to Boston to be closer to my best friends, and dream about the day I would take a job in London to sip high tea, perfect my fake accent and delve deeper into the English language, but when it comes down to it, I love home and the comfort that comes along with it. I know for some, living somewhere else for a few months doesn’t seem like a big deal or a big change — but for me, it is.
So, this past weekend when the sweet tune of Tyler Childer’s, “Feathered Indians” — every hour, on the hour, obviously — took us through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas and finally, Colorado, and I traded in my L’Arte latte for a McCafe on the side of I-70, I was shocked at how at ease I felt.
Back in January when I made my ins and outs list for 2023, it didn’t exactly include meeting a stranger named Haley in a Kansas City local bar who then takes you to a country night club for “just one drink,”— it’s never just one — and lures you on the mechanical bull, nor did it include exploring Ozarkland in Missouri for all the necessities — pocket knives, fudge and personalized mugs — what else do you need after all, but it did include facing fears, and so far, this trip has been just that.
All this to say, Colorado has allowed me to loosen my tight cling to the familiar, and maybe we’ll just use that as an excuse as for why this post is four weeks and two days past due. Because hey, things happen.
With Love,
Lily