Why Staying at Home is Sometimes Necessary

Hey Kids!

Long time no talk! You may have noticed I’ve been a little absent in the last few weeks, and to be frank, it’s because I haven’t been traveling so I didn’t feel inspired to write much. I’ve been home in Minneapolis and to be honest… I kind of love it.

Being out of school and working full time has been an adjustment, but something that I’m really taking to. I enjoy the team aspect of seeing the same people each day and progressing in things that originally seemed challenging to me. My year abroad seems like a lifetime ago (even though it’s really just been a few months) and I feel that already I’m a very different person than when I came back.

Right now, I don’t feel the necessity to travel, and honestly… it’s kind of a new feeling for me. There have been very rare occasions where I have felt completely content with where I am in life, but right now is one of them. Had you told me years ago that I would be in a non-food related job, still living in Minnesota, and loving it, I would have thought you were crazy! And yet here I am, doing just that. Change is such a powerful thing!

Don’t get me wrong, I still am planning trips and am looking forward to exploring the country a bit more this summer, but for right now I’m just so happy to be with my people again. Being gone for two years (non-consecutively) and having one of those years involve a very long plane ride and a visa application, I missed a lot of quality time with the people that mean the most to me. I missed weddings and funerals and important get togethers, and I’m not trying to get them back per say, but I am trying to pour back into individuals who I know have poured into me for years. Relationships are a two-way street and it’s important to not ignore that.

Minnesota wasn’t my home until I left it, then I realized how deeply rooted my heart is in this place. I love the four seasons, and the fact that apples are natively grown here. I love the state fair and the hearty attitude of the people. I love that Minnesota doesn’t have toll roads and we pretty much have our shit more put together than many other states in the union. I love the plains and the cities and the history of the land. Minnesota is my home, and it’s a great home at that!

Staying here has let me appreciate that, celebrate that even. I get to bask in the glory of my comfort instead of missing it from afar. To be honest, when I left for Vermont, I was tired of going. The energy to put down new roots and create a new home is a lot, and when I was out there I could tell I wasn’t putting my all into forming community. I just didn’t want to, so I went to work, went to the gym, and went home. Sometimes leaving isn’t always the answer.

So, this is just me checking in, saying I’m doing well and that I’m loving life right now even though it’s still amidst lots of change.

Hope you’re all doing well!

xoxo-

Mon