Tags
adulthood, boyfriend, bucket list, denver, happiness, life, moving to denver, personal
One year ago, my mother and I made our way, u-haul following close behind us, through the tiny roads of my neighborhood. I excitedly parked right out in front and ran inside to my new apartment.. to my new life. My mom and I had the u-haul unloaded in two short hours and my apartment was put together and practically unpacked in just a few more hours. My life had finally started.
That first week with my mom, I used my GPS to get me from every single Point A to Point B. I drove twenty miles out of the way for a Target because I hadn’t discovered the one that is just a few minutes away yet.
Within days of my mom leaving, I had started to make friends. I found the local spots in my neighborhood that now feel like home. I embraced each evening with a walk to somewhere new. A beer here, a frozen yogurt there. Everyone was friendly and ready to chat, everyone here was practically as new as I was. Everyone here has that in common – we all came here from somewhere else. We’re all transplants, we all chose Denver.
18 days after arriving I made friends.
One month later, I had my scooter.
Two months after that, I had Jasper.
Within six months my bucket list had close a dozen items checked off.
Now, one year after my arrival – Jasper is full grown, I am developing new and true friendships and can’t imagine my life anywhere else. Michigan lives deep down inside of me but when I think of it, it doesn’t feel like home. It is incredibly distant. It has faded practically beyond recognition.
In the last year I have worked three jobs. Had two apartments, and two roommates. I honestly feel like I’ve been here three years. I am not shocked at how fast the time went by, because I feel like I’ve been here longer than anywhere else (Flint, Lansing, East Lansing) But obviously, I haven’t. I have, however, done more in one year here than I did in three years living in the Lansing area. For the first time in my life I feel like I’m living and have lived. I have had a life-changing experience here in the way my life has turned and twisted and landed me to where I am today. I am a degree of happy, settled and put-together that I wasn’t sure truly existed.
Everything, everything is different here. Everything is better. My life feels complete and yet brand new at the same time. I have traveled, I have experienced things, I have done many things in my years, but nothing prepared me for how much more amazing life would be out here. For those of you who aren’t sure… if there is something you really want, something you feel you SHOULD be doing…. if home doesn’t feel like home anymore… make a change. And, do it fast! It’s worth it. It’s hard and expensive and scary and worth every single minute. I found myself here.
sarajanelle 
It sounds like things are a little tough right now (from your most recent post), but remember this post and KEEP WRITING!
And, if you need to go down to Pub on Penn and drink until you can’t see the karaoke screen in front of you one Wednesday night, we’ll be there for you. 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment, it really touched me. Things have been crazy and hard and I feel like my entire life is kind of .. blank.. right now. It’s hard to find many words, but I tell myself everyday to try to write and I never get to it. I promise to continue trying, and see what I can throw out there.
As for Wednesday nights, I’d love to meet up sometime, that would actually be really nice. No Karaoke for me though… no way! I’ll definitely hang though =)