A Gen-X’s Journey:
I’m moving across country to live with my mom and I might as well enjoy the voyage!
Being in my mid-twenties is supposed to be a time of lively exploration, travel, and intermingling with all kinds of folks.
However, in light of the pandemic, people my age are having to explore the world in our twenties creatively, and many of us are taking to nature. There’s something deeply loving about spending time amongst the stars and hearing cicadas and crickets sing. Even as I sit with mosquitos swarming around my legs, I feel so grateful listening to nature’s music.
I can get out of my head when I’m in nature.
I feel very excited to be spending my time in a tent today after a long day of driving from Georgia to Arkansas.
In 2020, I originally planned on living with my mom due to the uncertainties of the pandemic. I debated about living with a parent having a boyfriend, and decided that my sweetheart and I would live in Floyd, Virginia because his family is located there. I spent a year enjoying my time there amongst the blue ridge mountains and getting to know my boyfriend’s roots.
However, both my boyfriend and I truly struggled making ends meet. And you what? We are not alone.
Admittedly, I still feel like it’s my fault for not “getting it" after college. I have a degree and I am not guaranteed work. I began delving into art art again, which has always been a huge draw for me. I avoided being an “artist” because I believed the stigmatism of the starving artist. But I understand now that art helps me process my emotions and gets me through dark times. At the core, art is not about money and I think that’s what makes us mysterious. I’m following my inner compass and I can no longer deny it:
I am an artist!!!!
So, it is the first night of my boyfriend and my journey towards moving to Arizona. It is very humid. We are both exhausted. But I am hopeful. I know that living with your parents with a significant other can be hard and whatnot, but family is important to me and I need help. I need help with rebuilding myself emotionally and financially. I am so grateful I have this opportunity to re-center myself.
So to all the Gen-X’s, millennials, and everyone struggling with their self esteem about living with their parents: it’s okay. You’re not alone. I am learning to be kind to myself and be my best friend. It all starts with being grateful. I believe it was Dolly Parton who said,
“If you want the rainbow, you’ve gotta put up with the rain.”
Why not enjoy the little things in life? Every day counts. Instead of dreading storms, why not dance in the rain?
