Personal Exodus

Ever since I was a small child, I always had a feeling I was destined for something more grand than what I was frequently exposed to on a daily basis. I was born in a very small town in the northeast of North Carolina, residing on the border of Virginia. A rural area is too humble a category to place the town of Roanoke Rapids in but deeming it a city is too generous.

Truly, Roanoke Rapids is a place where the old go to die and where the young grow to become old, stagnant and then die. I knew from very early on I was not meant to meet that fate. I knew that I had to put myself in a position where I ultimately had to escape and become so much more than what that town molds so many young people into: drones, content with going through the motions, satisfied with mediocrity and ultimately, a "victim" of circumstance. I am NOT a victim. I am a survivor, always have been, always will be. I have fallen but I've always risen in the end.

I gained the tools necessary to survive and thrive in a limiting and sadly toxic environment such as Roanoke Rapids, and it finally paid off on top of me rising into the good fortune of meeting my significant other who has helped me optimize the best parts of myself and realize the potential held within every fiber of my being. Literally at the beginning of this year, I finally escaped, I finally rose to the challenge, I finally used the tools I gained over the years and left my comfort zone in the dust. I took a massive leap of faith and left home far in my rearview. I now live with my significant other in the city of Hamden, Connecticut and I literally haven't been any happier in all 25 years and 107 days of my life.

I escaped the prejudiced environment, the homophobia, the islamophobia and the blatant disregard for other peoples' ways of life that differ from the "status quo". It had always been a closed minded, backward place which is common in small southern town but it was almost tangible, you could cut the tension in the air with a steak knife but with the festering aura of 2020 looming over it, it was becoming a open minded individual's personal hell. The division was becoming very visible, old lines being drawn again, and with the increase in negative energy surging through the population, so did negative reactions.

People I cared for have always come and gone my entire life while living in RR but when they lose their lives prematurely due to the negativity ensuing in the environment, it opens ones eyes, it literally sobers your soul up. It brought me to the revelation that either I could leave soon or I would become another statistic, another "VICTIM" of that town. As I said before, I am NOT a victim, never will be. The universe is the captain of my fate, I am second in command so I refuse to let mere circumstance dictate what happens to me. I AM A SURVIVOR.

I literally couldn't think of a better FRESH START than me leaving a place where everybody knows everybody, to living somewhere where a new face is around every corner, new opportunities are showing themselves just as sure as the sun rises every morning. I could not think of a much fresher start than starting the new year moving to a new location, surrounded by new people, while creating new opportunities for myself with every step I take.

For anybody suffering from what I call Small Town Syndrome, I beg of you, find the fire in your soul, feed it and use it to outrun your comfort zone. Do not allow yourself to become complacent, do not become stale and stagnant, it will be your demise but before it kills your body, it will kill your spirit and this is a fate far worse than death, I assure you. Taste life, take chances, and never for one second believe that it is too late to work towards a FRESH START!!!