Leaving

Here is where Tenacious S learns that leaving is easier than being left behind. All of my life I have been the one to do the leaving. I moved away from my Chicago neighborhood to move to the suburbs. I moved away to college, watching and wondering why my parents were blubbering messes. I left the college I was at and went to another one. I left there and went home to Chicago. I managed to stick around for about a year and I left for Europe for about half a year. Came home from Europe and left Chicago again for California and graduate school. I stayed in California for ten years. I finally realized after all of the leaving that I really wanted to go home. After years of wandering, I realized I missed the place where I grew up. I realized I missed the place where people are actually nice. I missed my hometown.

So now I find myself in the place of the one being left behind. I feel as if I can't say a thing except "Go." In all of my travels, I feel like I discovered bits of myself here and there. I learned that I am very self-reliant. I learned that I can make a home anywhere I want to. I also learned that no matter how hard I tried, I was always a Chicago girl in my heart. You can take that with you anywhere. Even when you're the only Chicago native in a a 500 mile radius, it's who you are.

I hope Lulu has fantastic adventures and meets new friends and loves her new job. For once, I'm the Chicago girl, hanging out here at home, looking forward to her visit next summer. Life will go on. I'll miss her dearly, but I wish for her all of the travels and experiences I've had. I'll be here. At home in Chicago.