Birthdays are always a good time to take stock of where one is and where one is headed. Since my last birthday, I’ve sold a condo, found a job, bought a house, published a novel, had a play performed at a show this past June and another accepted for a festival coming in May. I also made the decision to leave Atlanta, my hometown, where I’ve lived for most of my life. An eventful year indeed.
Transitions are always fraught with uncertainty. More than once, I’ve questioned whether or not I’m making the right move. Buying and renovating a home is very expensive, and moving to a community vastly different than that to which I’m accustomed comes with its own set of challenges. I’m not sure how I’ll adjust to the slower pace of life in my new place, and signs of “progress” in the form of new housing and business developments are cropping up all around, so I wonder how long I’ll be able to enjoy the new surroundings before everyone else starts encroaching.
Still, change is important if one is to grow and develop. One thing that never subsides is the need to experience new things and new people. In my case, the transition is made easier by having so many familiar businesses and stores close by, though there are a few I’ll miss having around (Trader Joe’s). I’m looking forward to discovering what the theater scene is like in my new community, and there’s a vast potential audience to pester about buying my books.
So, here’s to another trip around the sun, with all its promise and challenges. I look forward to seeing what this next year brings with it.
