Thursday was moving day, THE moving day and let me tell you this: I am so glad I picked up weightlifting months ago because it served me well.
Before you carry on with reading, Please do me a quick favour. Take a deep breath, inhale and exhale. I am writing this on a Saturday, December 30th, surrounded by unpacked boxes. So, let’s take a deep breath together. This year has been long, but we both did well. My dear reader, you have done an amazing job this year, and I am so proud of you.
While I was busy packing our belongings in our London apartment, I couldn’t help but reflect on the topic of change. I had been aware of this move for weeks and had spent a lot of time planning, making lists and even ordering moving boxes from Amazon. However, despite all the preparation, I still felt unprepared for what was to come.
I wasn’t prepared for the change in my heart. Although I knew that moving to our new apartment in a beautiful small town, surrounded by nature and a good neighbourhood, was going to be better for us, I still felt sad about leaving our life in London behind.
And change can be like that, sometimes it can sneak up on us, sometimes we are aware of it, but are we fully ready for it?
I honestly don’t know.
Remember that everyone responds to change differently, and it’s okay to experience a range of emotions.
I was on a rollercoaster with this move. Excited in November when we got the news that we were actually doing this, then going through the motions with all the logistics of what changing an address means, to crying on the day of the packing, to now being at peace.
I am home, for now. We are aware that this is just for a season and we do see another move in the future, but as I said, for now, this is home, and we already made it cosy. Kinda, at the moment, my office is still full of boxes :).
I was struggling with letting our London apartment go because, for 6 years, that location was one of my dreams coming true. From the gym to the rooftop garden to the city lights from my couch, this place was everything I wanted and more. The UK became my home here.
Here’s where I finished my 1st novel, started and finished the second one, started the publishing house, my podcast, here I became Me.
And let’s not forget how handy that second-floor garden was during the pandemic.
Right before the final trip to the new property, it was 10pm by now; I ran quickly to the roof garden to see the city lights one more time. The view? Gorgeous as always. I thanked the Lord again for the past 6 years, took a deep breath and left.
As I was walking towards our rented van, I knew that I let go. We still have the apartment until January 9th, but I have no desire to go back.
I am writing this article to remind myself of the amazing time in our London apartment, God’s faithfulness and the exciting beginning of moving into a new town and a new property, kinda like a tgeneration behind-the-scenes diary.
Plus, I am still working in London 3 days a week. I’m still there, and there’s a concert at the O2, one stop from our old home, coming up on the 20th of January; I already booked a hotel room for that in Canary Wharf.
That being said, change can be challenging, but we must not forget that the best is yet to come.
Change is the only constant in life. Embrace it, learn from it, and let it shape the person you are meant to become.