Deep Breath, Let Go — Maple & Orange

From the top of the Watchman Trail in Zion National Park

It has been seven days since we drove away from our home in Glendale. That was a rough and emotional morning for us. As we pulled away from the little building on the busy corner, I said to Adam, "deep breath, now let's let go." Even when you know in your heart that you are doing the right thing, letting go and moving forward can be so difficult. It has helped that our journey to our new home has been full of adventure and wonderful experiences. That busy excitement has kept us in the moment and not really allowed much time for dwelling on the past or worrying about the unknown future. We have seen so many incredible things in just seven days. This country is such a beautiful tapestry of the most amazing landscapes that change constantly. So far, we have traveled through California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. In just those five states, we have seen expansive arid deserts, driven through thick green forests speckled with yellowing Aspen trees, explored deep canyons, hiked red rock mountains and petrified sand dunes, and carefully made our way through the snowy Continental Divide. It has been an amazing journey so far and we haven't even made it to our new home yet.

Change is a funny thing. For some people, it can be intimidating to the point of incapacitation. For others, it can be wonderfully exciting. This time around for me, it is a little of both; the idea of this big life change is simultaneously terrifying and invigorating. My last couple of weeks in Los Angeles were stressful and emotional as we approached the moving date and the impending unknown future. The way I keep thinking of it is like an amusement park ride, where you are slowly climbing to the peak of a rollercoaster and you come to that two second pause where you can look forward and think, "what the hell have I gotten myself into?" before plummeting to the bottom and zooming into a corkscrew and two loop-the-loops. It is thrilling and nauseating, and usually I am not a thrill seeker. It has been difficult for me to push out the "what ifs" and the "oh buts" and focus on the positive. Meditation with crystals and candles and positive affirmations, along with an overwhelming support from family and friends has given me the strength to actually follow through with our crazy plan of chasing after our dreams. I believe change is good for the soul, but that doesn't make it any easier to follow though with. I am proud of us for masterminding such a perfect plan for our life and sticking with it; for knowing what is best for us and taking charge of our life, no matter how difficult it has been to let go.