Like I said in my earlier post, “Reasons to go”, life here isn’t completely terrible. When considering whether or not I should really make such a big jump I weighed the pros & cons. There are definitely things I will miss:
Anyone who’s known me over the last 6 years or so has heard me complain time and again about home ownership. It’s a constant to-do list and can suck your wallet dry pretty quickly. But as a whole, I like having a place that’s mine. The house is bigger than I need but I got it a real good price and I like the layout. Life in my house is very comfortable. My move will most likely end with me sleeping in an apartment. After having my car broken into twice in 6 months while I lived in an apartment I decided to buy a house. I don’t look forward to much of what comes with apartment living. I’ll also miss having a garage. I like having a garage.
On top of a house I like and can easily afford, I also have good neighbors. Except for one house, I know all of my immediate neighbors and I like them all. This neighbor-appreciation culminates with my next-door neighbors. They are a crazy bunch full of adventure and are unbelievably friendly & welcoming. With 6 kids (yeah, six!) I’ve been able to watch them grow up and will truly miss getting to watch them turn into the young adults they’re quickly becoming.
I mentioned that I want out of my job. But it would be unfair if I presented it in such uni-dimensional way. In the early years my job presented me with a great opportunity for growth. It also rewarded me when I took advantage of those opportunities. After 10 years I have a window office, an acceptable level of responsibility, and quite a bit of freedom. I also like a vast majority of my coworkers. There are a lot good things to say about my job, and if I was the sort of person who wanted a stable job where I could begin counting down until retirement then this wouldn’t be a bad place to do it. But in the end I want more. I want more than to work my way into some middle-management position where I wait until retirement. I’m not done growing nor learning. Here, I’m hitting ceilings.
My family lives in San Antonio. Although we only see each other a handful of times a year, a handful is just right for me. Moving away (with no immediate plans for employment) will mean it may be several years before I see them again. That’s kind of a bummer.
If you save the best for last then it’s only fitting that I saved listing my friends until the end. The single hardest about uprooting your life and starting fresh is walking away from good friends. I’ve got a few and there is more than a tinge of remorse at the inevitable drift that comes with distance. From the day-to-day hallway conversations, to the ruckus of lunchtime debates, to evenings out on the town, friends make all the difference between a satisfied life and an empty one. The possibility of financial devastation has barely made a blip on my radar, but walking away from the many people in my life has been the one factor that has made my decision a difficult one to make.
I think if you are ever going to do something crazy like this you should take a good & honest look at not only the bad in your life, but the good as well. I don’t have a terrible job. I have great friends. My family is close by. And year after year there are more things getting closer to my reach financially. Life is not bad.
Without acknowledging all of the good in your life, you can’t truly assess whether or not doing what I’m about to do is a good idea. Above is a list of things that may fill my upcoming life with regret. I hope that’s not the case… but if it is, I can’t argue ignorance.
