Goodbye, Miami

It’s difficult to find the right words to say goodbye to a place that has been home all of my life. Miami harbors so many memories. From making friends to losing them, having my first boyfriend, getting my heart broken, creating The Fashionista’s Diary, becoming an aunt, and more… all while trying to grow up and become who I am today. If you would have asked me in high school if I ever thought I would leave Miami, I would have laughed and said no. Today, if you ask me if I were to ever move back to Miami, I would laugh and say no. Truth is, Miami hasn’t felt like home to me for a while now. Somewhere in between high school and the end of my college career, I found myself. I’ve been told that in order to find yourself you first need to get lost. College was really tough for me. While many people describe it as the best four years of their life, it was everything but that for me. I lost myself several many times. My life begins today.

It’s a bittersweet day today. As I say goodbye to my room, my dogs and my family, I know that I’m just a plane ride away from really beginning to live. I’ve never been more ready for something in my entire life. I know at times it will be terrifying. Sometimes I’ll miss coming home to my parents being loud, watching Fox News and nagging me. I’ll miss Iggy waking me up in the morning by jumping on my bed and licking my face. But then there will be days that I will be so happy to come back to a quiet apartment that I can call my home.

Imagine a hermit crab. She’s living in a shell that is considered comfortable enough for her to survive. She doesn’t want to go out and find a new shell because there’s risk in it and she doesn’t know if she’ll be strong enough or find the right shell. She waits in her shell, her comfort zone, until she finally decides she deserves a better shell and is going to take the risk and find it. She finds it and it’s bigger and she can move so much faster and more comfortably. In this case, I’m that hermit crab. I’ve been stuck in my comfort zone for so long that I forgot how invigorating it is to take risks in life.

Today I’m finally free of the bad memories that have been weighing me down. I think that’s what I’m most excited about. It’s hard to forget about difficult experiences when you’re reminded of them on a daily basis. I get to officially let go.

So, goodbye Miami. Thank you for the great times and even the bad times, because they taught me life lessons I will carry with me forever.