These Walls

Well, its official. Or pretty darn close to official - I'm moving next week.

I was in the shower this morning thinking about the condo I live in now. I moved here in 1995 (gasp) when I was 26 years old (gasp, again). I so clearly remember how I felt at the time --- I had been recruited for a big job at a major University in a new city in a foreign state. Everything was so fresh and big and promising and new.

I was moving from a crappy little one bedroom apartment I didn't like, in a suburb I didn't like, of a city I hated, to leave a job that really sucked. I was sooooooo thrilled to be leaving that entire scene.

This new condo was The Mecca. I had my own garage with an electric garage door opener! and a garbage disposal! and A WASHER AND DRYER!!! OMG, I was practically moving into Trump Tower.

A lot has happened between these four walls.

I moved here with my cat from college. She loved to run up and down the stairs, sit in the front window, and hang on the deck. She died five years ago. This will be the first place I've moved in the last 6 homes without her.

I stressed and cried and fretted about my new job, and my jerky new boss, for years and years in this house. And then I worked it out and this job has, truth be told, been more fruitful than I could have ever imagined.

I made some friends, changed friends, changed friends again, and finally found real friends. I held many a book club, weekend getaway, dinner party, wedding shower, and baby shower for said friends in this home. Many glasses of sangria, deep talks, hard cries, and heartfelt laughs happened here.

I dated a million guys in these 14 years - and this number is too close to the real estimate to be truly funny. Most of these guys never made it to date #2, let alone my condo, but a few of them did (several of whom shouldn't have). A lot of awkward moments, 8th-grade style make out sessions, laughs, discussions, dreams, fights and break-ups occurred here. I'm ready to leave those ghosts behind me.

And now I'm moving from The Mecca to a whole different league that I didn't even know existed. The new place has a view of the ocean, lots of light, new construction, and my thumbprint on every paint chip, light fixture and door knob. It kind of makes you wonder --- where will I move 14 years from now?

Although I'm excited for the move, a fresh start, a new chapter, I'm also just a little bit sad to leave these four walls that have treated me so well.