The Closet Typewriter

You won't read this until Friday morning, but as I'm writing this post, it is a cool Wednesday morning here in Asheville. We've had a blissfully mild summer. I've got the windows open, so I can hear the breeze rustle through the trees and lift the gauzy white curtains in the living room. The Professor, a feral black and white tomcat, is napping on one of my lawn chairs, a spot he occupies most mornings.

It's hard to believe that in less than 48 hours, all this calm serenity will transform into Moving Day Madness. I'm praying we have a day like this on Friday, bright and sunny at 70 degrees.

This post is a hard one to write. It's less about my journey as a writer and more about my journey simply as a person. Big steps. I've always found them daunting.

In the all too short year I've been here, Asheville really has come to feel like home. I wish it could offer me the things I need professionally, otherwise I wouldn't be saying goodbye. I truly believe I'll be back. I miss these mountains already.

I started making a list over the summer of things I would miss, so here's a few:

-The way the mountains change every time I come through the tunnel back into downtown. Some days you can see for miles and miles. Others, those peaks are hidden behind thick fog. Their colors have ranged from blue, purple, and vibrant green to orange and red during sunsets.

-Running by the River Arts district as all the artist galleries open for the day. I always loved going by the glass blowers, watching them pull red hot irons out of giant fires.

-The trains blasting by the Wedge just after the sun has gone down and the string lights casting shadows.

-The sounds of the many festivals booming downtown that reach all the way to our house. We live a ten minute walk from the hustle and bustle of Asheville proper, and often, we can hear drums beating or bands playing.

-Sunny Point and Biscuit Head on the rare and fantastic days I was off to enjoy breakfast. Serving breakfast meant going out and having someone else do that for me was a real treat.

-More importantly, the people I've met here. As I've grown older, I have found that creating and nurturing friendships becomes an art form, but that if you're willing to put in the time and lend an ear, they can be some of the most rewarding. To everyone I've met, I will miss you. Each of you made my experience here meaningful. Please know you are always welcome at the beach, and I hope to be back to visit as often as I can.

But most of all, I am incredibly sad to be leaving my best friend and roommate of five years, Sara. It sounds kind of silly and trivial, but this is someone who has known me since I was an awkward eighth grader. We've been through high school and first jobs and boyfriends and college parties and the uncertainty that comes with graduation, the thrill of moving on to the next best thing, the anxiety that accompanies moving to a new city and the fun it is to discover it. She's someone who has cheered me on at my best and has loved me at my worst.

It's the end of our era. I also wouldn't be on this path if it weren't for her pushing me to be the best person I can be, even if it means leaving. Now that's true friendship.

So here's to our new (and sadly separate) adventures, Sara. We might have plenty of space between us, but I think we know how to close the gap. (Also, we must watch SYTYCD on Skype in real time so we can squee over every routine. It's required, non-negotiable.)

And now, pictures! Because no post is complete without them: