Following Friends off Cliffs

Recently, and I mean within the last month or so, I have had more friends and family announce that they are relocating across the country.  Its like there is something going on in the heavens (must check Zodiac) that is telling people that the "in" thing to do is uproot everything you think as comfortable and normal and start over.  Really, from experience I can tell you that living out of boxes, getting lost in scary neighborhoods looking for grocery stores, and trying to find basic contacts like hairstylists, are not activities that people count off as fun.  I actually think the stress inventory checklist actually rates moving as one of the top stressors outside of having a loved one die. 

When I was younger I used to think it was a very romantic notion to just pick up your life and start over in a new town.  I actually purposefully sought such opportunities after events like graduation or breaking up with someone, but eventually I landed back home.  Its kind of like when you have no money and are out browsing through stores that you find the perfect pair of shoes that costs a bazillon dollars or the perfect outfit.  You never find stuff when you are looking for it.  Kind of like the opportunity to move.

My brother will be relocating to Las Vegas in the next few weeks.  He's going down there with a job offer, a rented van, and a combination of hope and prayers.  He doesn't have a place to live but also remains confident that there is a social group off of the strip.  I get the feeling that he is ambivalent about this relocation.

My aunt and uncle will be moving to New York next spring.  They will be close to other family members there and I think they just really love the area.  I think the remaining sibilings in Salt Lake are trying to figure out how their absence will impact the care of my grandfather, which again is stressful.  Ultimately, they are doing what feels right and that is great.

One of my closest friends is leaving Katrina's continued havoc and will be relocating from Louisiana to Houston.  She is a newlywed and is really looking out for her future children.  She wants them to be near family and to be in a place of more opportunity.  Its kind of scary for her now though as they are in mid-change and while she has a job that is waiting for her, the house is now on the market and her husband is working with a head hunter. 

My best friend and her husband just went through a week of hell trying to decide to take a job offer and move from Salt Lake to Dallas.  The change went about extremely quickly and there were a lot of factors to weigh.  They too will be near her family, but leaving his.  Her masters degree is almost completed, but she will need to resume in a different program.  This is of course, not to mention having her uproot her twins.  For me, I have a selfish issue in the fact of I'm wondering when I will see her.  This factor makes me sick to my stomach.  However, the good news is most of the ya yas will now be in Texas/Lousiana for group visits.

Another friend moved to Appleton, Wisconsin right after finding out she was pregnant and only a short tenure at her dream job.  It was a planned move with their two year old, but stressful none the less. 

And yes, another friend just found out yesterday he is moving from DC to the Miami area.  I haven't gotten the details yet, but I suspect he is welcoming a change and yet ambivalent about the terms.

And the most exciting and exotic move is my cousin with her Colombian husband relocating from Japan to Switzerland with their little one.  That, my friends, is true culture shock.

I can't help but think of when parental figures would ask you, "If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?"  No no, its not like doing anything crazy like doing drugs or running around with the wrong crowd, its just moving during the holidays.  Oh wait, maybe that is a cliff...