Moving

Moving provides an opportunity to really assess what is most important in life. It starts with all the little things around the house. The t-shirts we got from races that we never wore again, the surfboards we wouldn’t be able to use in Virginia, the spices that were all clumped together that were definitely past their expiration, my gel pens that were all dried up. My husband and I don’t really collect a lot of items, but somehow we end up giving away a lot during our moves, since we have to typically every 1-3 years. After 6 moves in 6 years, it becomes easier to detach sentimental feelings from things. The funny thing is, we typically never think about the items again after they’re thrown in the trash or piled up in bins outside of the local Goodwill. 

For this move, I would live in Florida for 9 months while he deploys to Japan. Afterwards, we would both move back to Virginia. So, I downsized even further, deciding to only take what I could fit in my car. The rest would go into storage until we moved together. Basically, I just took myself, my two huskies, my three laptops, my jiu jitsu gis, my summer clothes, and my art supplies. That’s really all that’s important to me, I realized. It is a bit freeing, knowing yourself well enough to know what is fundamental to your lifestyle.

After the items and objects, comes the people. The people that were important to me made an effort to spend as much time with me as possible. My jiu jitsu friends threw me a going-away party and all signed a card for me. They told me to update them on my new gym and send them updates on the new techniques I learn. My girlfriend from the gym spent an afternoon chatting with me over brunch. She told me to text her anytime. My husband and I went to get acai bowls and watched the sun set over the pacific ocean. We splashed in the waves, laughing and ducking under before they tumbled over our heads. I am so grateful to have people I miss; little pieces of me I leave behind in the friends I make along my journey. They make moving hard, but it’s what keeps life exciting.

Then there are the people that help you move. For this move, I am close to my family. My dad flew out to California so we could follow the I-10 from ocean to ocean, with two huskies and all my belongings with us. Within the first hour, a boogieboard nearly took out our windshield and Zero vomited on my dad’s back as I rushed to try to catch it in my hands. I am grateful we could laugh. We continued on with no other mishaps, stopping for lunch breaks and playing trivia along our ride. My mom was in my corner when my townhouse wasn’t in ready condition. She helped me settle by working out with me and getting coffee together, easy sessions to vent and release. On my move-in day, my parents and grandparents moved like experts, setting up my entire townhouse in under two hours. My grandparents showed up with incredible strength, lifting heavy boxes and working without complaint. My parents, grandparents, and in-laws have taken me out to dinner and sent me home with extra things for around the house. I am not used to relying on others, but family sticks together. They made the move so easy for me, alleviating some of the empty space my husband left behind in my mind. They make the time pass quickly.

Moving really makes you realize what is most important. It's not the place or the items; it's the people.