Saying goodbye is hard

A horrible reality of an elongated move like this is that you see how amazing your friends are...then you have to leave them.  

Between packing and lifting, places to stay and shoulders to cry on, invitations to dinner and bottles of beer; family and friends provided more support than I ever thought I needed. At the most amazing times ( read: when I felt lonely or overwhelmed) someone would text an invite or send a message. I learned to lean into people and share my worries and anxieties. I learned that when you do that, when you show your vulnerabilities, you learn about others' fears as well. You open up and find out that most people have had similar experiences, terrors and doubts. 

I missed Mike, I was scared I would hate Thailand, I was anxious about my career and how much I would miss my family. I don't think that I overcame any of these fears, but I accepted that they were normal and acceptable and some things would not be in my control for a while. 

I'm so grateful for the cups of tea, glasses of wine, and long chats with people who helped me realize all that.   I always want to remember that kindness, and be able to reciprocate it, or pay it forward to somebody else who needs it.