Float

Living a nomadic life can be very trying. It can be very hard on tender psyches to constantly uproot your life and move into a new situation. I never envisioned that I would be where I am today.

What would life be like if we had just stayed where we were so many years ago? We would be ensconced in our old lives, living the day-to-day. I would certainly be a very different person. As a result of our life events, I am much more accepting of change than I used to be. I have also learned to lean on those that are closest to me for support while at the same time to look inward for strength.

Constantly uprooting your life has certain consequences - some you see in advance, others you don't. Friends have been left behind. Others moved on without us - victims of their own nomadic lifestyles. Lives of those that we care most about have gone on without us in them…we pop in every now and again to see how things are going and are happy for the changes that have taken place, while at the same time we suffer from a nagging feeling of loss that we weren't there to share in the joy, too.

This is how things are. Life goes on, with or without us. There is no magic pause button that promises to preserve things for us just as we left them. The best we can hope for is to come back every so often and see what has changed for the better and what has stayed the same.

Perhaps the hardest thing is landing on your feet. Moving and changing your life can be earth-shattering. The ground under you feet literally changes. You have taken such pains to get to know where you've been, and just as you've gained a foothold you're faced with a new and unfamiliar landscape to master. Your personal finances take a beating and you wonder how long it will take to recover this time.

Assimilation eventually happens. The new landscape becomes the familiar. New bonds are formed, and life returns to normal. You develop new routines, build new roots and take what you can get until something better comes along. And something better usually does…you just have to be patient and wait. Maybe you have to look for it a little, too. But it's there.

I've learned patience. I've learned persistence. I've learned to sacrifice. I've learned to live modestly. I've gained strength. I've strengthened bonds. I've gained inner peace. I've learned the value of old friendships. I've learned to make new friends. I've learned to embrace change. I've learned to look for the positive.

I mourn for what was, while turning my gaze to what will be, all while living in the now.

I am a better person for it all.