Recently, I pulled a top out of my closet that I hadn't worn in years and thought to myself, "I used to wear this in my old life." In late 2019, I felt like I had some semblance of my life figured out. I was a recent graduate, had secured a job, and was in love.
I won't bore you with the details, but everything crumbled in 2020. My lifelong friends and my lover left California. All of this felt like an out-of-body experience.
As I grappled with my new reality, I simultaneously attempted to mourn my past. It took a long time to feel okay and to accept the truth; my lover and friends had left me behind. Perhaps not on purpose, but it happened anyways.
They say time heals all wounds, and three years later, I can confirm this is true. Everything happens for a reason, and everything will eventually work out as it should.
Though they are thousands of miles away, my friends continue to inspire me and involve me in their lives as much as they can. When we do see each other in person, we bathe in serendipitous laughter that leads to tears.
I haven't seen my old lover in years, but I mean it when I say I hope all of his dreams come true.
As for me? Well, I feel younger than I did back in 2019. I have fears but so far, no regrets. I'm having the time of my life. That's why I put the top back, smiled, and closed the closet. After all, my "new life" is just the beginning…
