Today I mourned the loss of Detroit. How am I doing in this transition? It's like I've forgotten there ever was a transition to consider. I was in Detroit, and now I'm in New Orleans, and I'm thrown into the thick of it again. Will Detroit be a blip on my Facebook timeline and a few pictures on my blog? That's my worst fear. I don't want to fail Detroit, I don't want to fail New Orleans.
Asking "who am I now?" seems incredibly extreme, but I think self reflection upon an impactful experience is valid! Who am I now? Sometimes I wonder who even cares but those moments where someone takes time out of their schedule to ask me how I'm doing in my transition nearly bring me to tears. All the time I've been spending near the Mississippi to remember that there is life outside of my own has led me to forget the value of my own life. Funny how that backfired!
But, I think the first step in figuring out who I am now in New Orleans has been completed! My good friend Kelsey and I are signing a 12 month lease and moving to the Bayou St. John neighborhood of Midcity. This is a dream come true for me. I think since I've moved to New Orleans from Virginia I've wanted to live in Bayou St. John. Now I'll be there, in a diverse neighborhood with a community garden across the street, and we are a few blocks from the bayou and a cool bar. Even though the house is very modest (I don't even know if we have a closet?), there is a backyard for gardening and neighbors for sharing. Praise God! I think this will be a great way to live out who I am now.
Because the tough part about reflecting on my transition is that I don't really know what words to use to describe it, I only have actions to reflect how I feel and what I'm thinking and prioritizing. So I guess until I move in and settle, I am half packed boxes, dirty work clothes, and trips to the river.
