The Times, They Are a Changin'

I had a sobering conversation tonight on my way home from the bars (appropriate, I guess based on the beers I consumed). I was sharing a cab with Christie, something I've done dozens of times before since we live about 6 blocks apart, when we got to talking about all the changes around us. As mentioned in previous posts, I've been introduced and had to say goodbye to a host of friends from my Birthright trip, said goodbye to a best friend who moved 3,000 miles away, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Earlier in the evening, I was thinking about what I was going to do tonight. I spent last night at the gym and on my couch watching Taken 2 (don't waste your time, it sucked) so I felt I owed it to myself to be social and go out tonight. I sent out a series of texts to a variety of friends seeing if they were available tonight when I realized 2 things: my list of key contacts isn't nearly as plentiful as it used to be, and the quality of my contacts from a social perspective have declined as well. Basically, many of my friends have moved away and the ones who are left are heavily invested in relationships with their boyfriends/girlfriends/fiancées/spouses. I have friends who are ready to be married and others who are beginning to consider having children. I'm beyond excited for all of them, but a small part of me keeps thinking, what happened to the life I used to know?

Over the past few months, I decided to become a part of the change, and not sit idly by as change occurs all around me. That is why I'll be moving to New York City this summer to pursue my life goals. It's going to be a huge adjustment, one that I've probably been underestimating up until this weekend, but one I know to be right for me. My life in Philly just isn't what it used to be, and I need to do something about it. In New York, I can keep my current job while still pursuing my personal goals as well.

Luckily, Christie texted me tonight and a group of us got together, but if she hadn't, it would have been another lonely night on the couch. I've been extremely lucky over the past 5 years to have a stable and phenomenal group of friends in this city to carry me through good times and bad. Now, the band is breaking up. While I'm extremely excited for the future, I also know how great the past few years have been as well. The bonds we've made will last long into the future, they just wont be renewed as frequently as we're accustomed to. I can live with that, but it's always tough to go through periods of change like this.

Here's to looking forward to the future, while always remembering the comfort of the past, and the excitement of the present.

Kaps

Song of the Day: Calvin Harris - Drinking from the Bottle