When Mariel bought her house, I was just finishing up my first year of grad school. I was attempting to put on an "everything's fine" face, though most every single thing was anything but. I was trudging through my days, just weeks after getting a break-up call and weeks before summer break. Final exams and panic mode.
I just kept asking myself: How am I going to get through this, get over this, and become the independent girl I knew I always was?
The answer was in the invitation from my friend. She suggested I move out of temporary tenancy at my parents', and into her home. I was on a graduate assistantship stipend, though. I couldn't afford rent. Do you think she batted an eye? Help out when and where you can. That's what friends are for.
There's no way I will ever forget this gesture of friendship. I believe it to be the epitome of the word.
I thought I would be there through the completion of my degree. Then, as I often proclaimed, I was going to move back to Austin.
I love how life never goes according to plan. Seriously. It's probably the most fascinating thing about life. You just can't predict what will happen tomorrow, no matter how hard to try.
One year quickly turned into two, and boy what memories we made. From moving mattresses in M's dad's pickup truck (we didn't tie them down and almost lost them on a hill) to figuring out how to use a gas-powered lawn mower, we learned quite a lot as first-time homeowners. OK. I know I didn't own the home, but I always felt like M's partner in the whole deal. Now. Back to the mower. I think I had to have my dad come over and show me how to use it. My parents always mowed theirs with a push mower. I thought this whole mowing thing would be a piece of cake. But, it was not. It was pretty comical. Yards are deceiving. You think it should take 15 minutes to complete the whole job, but that's not factoring in the length of the lawn and the amount of times you have to unload the collection bag. I'll be using this experience someday when I am house-hunting. Minimal lawn = minimal time spent mowing said lawn.
Now I'm just rambling about lawn mowing. I wanted to use that story as a jumping off point for all the things I learned and the great life experience I shared with my two years of living with one of my best friends.
She acted as my counselor when every new hurdle appeared before me. She supported me through my time of unemployment and always encouraged me, reminding me of past successes and motivating me to believe I had better days ahead. In exchange, I accepted my role as a cat-sitter and house-sitter when M was off traveling. I tried to be a handyman and housekeeper, attempting to make her life easier when and where I could. I always felt like we had a grand partnership, and I'm sure we could have for more time to come.
But. Oh you were sensing a but coming on, right? But, the time has come for me to have my own space again. I don't know what it is, but I've always just loved being alone. Perhaps it's the fact that I'm typically surrounded by friends, coworkers, or family. I'm pretty social by nature, but I think I gain my energy from time spent alone. I also thrive in multitasking endeavors when I have a place of uninterrupted solitude, where everything is in its place. I want to get back to writing my book, and I've always craved having an office space. Just someplace to go. So, I didn't get an office, but I did get my own apartment.
But. Oh you were sensing a but coming on, right? But, the time has come for me to have my own space again. I don't know what it is, but I've always just loved being alone. Perhaps it's the fact that I'm typically surrounded by friends, coworkers, or family. I'm pretty social by nature, but I think I gain my energy from time spent alone. I also thrive in multitasking endeavors when I have a place of uninterrupted solitude, where everything is in its place. I want to get back to writing my book, and I've always craved having an office space. Just someplace to go. So, I didn't get an office, but I did get my own apartment.
I love its location, nestled between work and Taylor's home (the commute and time spent in the car was starting to wear me down). It's inexpensive, and if it were a house, I'd call it a fixer-upper. It's certainly nothing fancy. I can't compare it to living in a home as there's no yard and no roommate to make dinner for. It is what it is, but I think it'll do.
I already miss messages on the whiteboard in the kitchen and lists of baking items we need at the store. I miss our silly roommate diary and mail in the old fashioned mail slot. I'll miss the memories but anticipate new ones to come as we're growing up and our lives are unfolding before us. Who knows what will happen un-according to plan?
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