Home

Have you ever heard the term “home is where the heart is”? Of course you have. Maybe you did t hear it in those exact words, but someone spoke these words to you one way or another. For this past year I’ve been on a mission to make my own home in moving on my own and let me tell you something, it’s been quite the journey. Let me enlighten on what exactly I’m talking about.

So in all my young life I’ve never lived on my own. For most of my childhood I lived with my mother and sisters and for all of my early adulthood years I’ve lived with my dad. Back in 2019 I earned my first college degree and it was during that time that I realized I was gonna be a writer because that is my heart’s greatest content, so after trading up in jobs and having the world around me change I decided it was finally time for me to move out on my own.

When I made up my mind about moving out on my own it was during a very troubled time. I had alot of things going on around me that effected my personal health for the worst and I knew disruption would hurt me in the long run on the path to achieving my goals for the future. I spent many nights not getting enough rest and I knew I needed to make a change that granted me peace, so my latest goal became getting my own place so I could rest and grow.

Of course my decision to get out on my own didn’t receive the warmest embrace, especially from my dad. He didn’t think it was a good idea for me to be out in the world on my own because of how difficult of a place the economy is currently in, but I knew I had to do what was best for me and remained undeterred and began my mission toward independence.

Apartment hunting was only somewhat complicated. My dad was of course right about how hard it is to get along with affordable housing in this day and age, but something in the back of my mind whispered “go back to the place from which you started”. I lived by a lot of apartment complexes. One of which was the first place I lived in when I first came to live with my dad when I was just 13 years old. I checked the place out and found that the cost was affordable for me and by July I made it a goal to make a home for myself in this neighborhood before the year was over.

Between July and August this is where the stakes had been raised. To make sure I could afford this new apartment I was working super duper overtime at my job nearly everyday, even on the weekends. This worked out great and by the end of August I had what I needed to get my own place. The property manager where I was headed was also very helpful in making sure I had what I needed.

Originally I was supposed to be moved in by September 13th, but my dad who had recently gotten married and had bought a house informed me that he would be moved by early September, so I asked my impending property manager could I possibly be moved in earlier and like a miracle she got everything cleared to where I could move in by August 30th. During that last week I scrambled to clean up my old spot and even arranged to have my closest friends, my older sister and my brother in law help me get moved.

Thank to the help of my family and friends I was able to get moved into my new place. They all even gifted me with a lot of furniture and household appliances for free. Fast forward to November of 2024 and I have been doing great living on my own and I have a newfound sense of peace. I’m also able to focus on my writing goals more. The best part about all of this for me is having all my family and friends support me on this journey. I never would have made it here without them.

The greatest lesson I learned from this journey on the pathway home is if you really want to accomplish your goals you can. All you have to do is work hard at it and stay in faith. I also learned that having the people you love right by your side supporting you on that journey is a plus that cannot be outdone. Thank you 2024 for the lesson of a journey called home.