The Eight Year Itch
So a few months ago, my parents moved out of state, leaving me the only one of my name in this fair northern state. Roughly a month later, I started talking with someone seven hours away, which sparked my big urgent push to apply for post-grad down there. I didn't get into that program, but I still feel like I need to be moving.
I have never lived in a state longer than eight years. That's my record, after almost 37 years of life. And guess what, I'm approaching that eight year mark of living in the north, which means I'm starting to get an itch in my head to move.
And really, there's nothing left to tie me to the state. My parents moved south (to my least favorite state, but that's a story of another time), my closest brother and sister-in-law moved a thousand miles west, and I'm not tied to a school program here. I have a good job and an apartment lease until August, but once that lease is up I really feel like it's time to get out of Dodge.
And it's hard because I like my job and I'm sick of moving. But where before the idea of moving was a "maybe I'll think about it but mostly I'll just stick with the stability I have right now", now the itch has become a burn. I want to be closer to my parents (who are aging) and I want to be closer to the man I'm talking with, both of which means moving south.
It scares me. I hate packing to move, I hate the limbo of job hunting and apartment hunting, I hate the idea of packing up and moving to a whole new state by myself now that my dad is no longer physically able to help. I hate the idea of letting down my coworker by leaving after only two years.
I'm in a tough spot. I know what I want (to move) but there are lots of mental barriers I have to get over before I can start making it happen. And anyway, I have to wait until my lease is up in August, so regardless I have some time to get ducks lined up.