On the Move, How My Many Homes Have Shaped Me

While most mothers beg their child to stay close to home for college my mom was begging me to leave. She didn’t just want me to go a few hours from home. She encouraged me to look out of state.

After college I applied for jobs all over the country, from the Hawaiian Islands to the upper peninsula of Michigan. I was offered a job just two hours from my university in Washington, but instead I headed for another opportunity in Texas. Now I am taking in all that the Mid-West has to offer in Cincinnati.

Picking up your life and moving to unfamiliar lands is not easy. Easy is staying close to home, with things that are familiar. I saw this article in the Atlantic about how many people don’t move much during their lifetime. Contrary to the migration stories Americans have in our history.

I challenge you not to settle for easy. While my moves have brought with them challenges I have been able to see different cultures and meet new people. These experiences have opened my eyes. I can better relate to a wide variety of people through shared experiences. Home will always be there, so what do you have to lose? Go explore. The world is yours.