Leap of Faith
Goodbye Texas, Hello Nashville
I’ve always loved the saying “With great risk comes great reward,” because I fully believe it to be true. You’ve got to make sacrifices to live the life you want, to get the life you want, or to keep the life you want. These sacrifices don’t have to be huge or life-altering, but they do have to prove to the universe that you’re willing to give up a few things for even greater things.
In late June, I was offered an incredible position at Vanderbilt University, a position that I wanted, and a position I knew I couldn’t turn down. I’d had my eyes on living in Nashville for about three years. The music, the food, the people, all of those characteristics made me fall in love with the city. Well, that and the fact that it has this small-town vibe, something I am very much used to, and something that I will always love about any city.
Saying goodbye to Texas was hard. Texas is home, always will be. I think the hardest part was saying goodbye to my family, especially listening to my dad continue to tell my dog farewell to avoid actually telling me goodbye. Watching him wait for my Jeep to clear his line of vision made me extremely emotional, a lot more emotional than I thought I would get. As I sat at the STOP sign down the road from my childhood home, I couldn’t help but think of my mom and what her reaction and opinion on all of this would be. My mom was an avid believer in stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks in life, because after all, you only live once. Yesterday marked four years since telling her goodbye, and the void of missing her is still very prominent. It will probably be that way forever. It’s a hard thing to accept, but necessary nonetheless.
I hope that my journey in Nashville will be good to me, and I’m ready for it. I know that I have an incredible support system in my friends and family, and especially from up above. Had I not taken this leap of faith, I know I would’ve continued to think “what if?” for the rest of my life, and I absolutely could not take that chance.
Because in the end, the only chances you regret are the chances you never took.
About the Creator
Keep reading
More stories from writers in Wander and other communities.
Was I a Model in Japan?
During my time in Nagoya I worked and lived at the strangely famous hostel and café Nagonoya. With its chequered floors and florescent lighting it felt quite dated, but I think that was supposed to be part of the charm. The dorms were always fully booked on weekends with domestic tourists and there was always a buzz in the downstairs café. Camera crews were constantly in and out of the place interviewing the Japanese staff members who worked the café. I think it had something to do with the egg sandwiches. At least that was what was on most of the merchandise, except for that one dishcloth with the owner’s face on it. Was I being employed by a local celebrity?
By Susanna Kiernan10 days ago in Wander
Stuttgart on the Neckar River
The capital of the southwestern state of Baden-Wurrtemberg in Germany is the city of Stuttgart. It is home to the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. There are many green spaces, impressive architecture, museums, and amazing landmarks.
By Rasma Raisters2 days ago in Wander
How the Harvest Mouse Came to Suisun Bay
A long, long time ago there was a family of harvest mice. Mice are common, but these were unique – born to those who had lived in the salty, marshy bay for many generations, these mice ate and drank from the sea as well as the land and rivers. For generations, there were only the southern families, scattered along the marshes of Corte Madera and in the San Francisco Bay (U.S. Fish & Wildlife, 2013). One family, however, would undergo strife and conflict before reaching a whole new world. What became of them after is another tale entirely – but this is how their story begins.
By Taylor Inman6 days ago in Fiction
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.