In April of 2016, we found ourselves at a crossroads. Our lease was ending soon and we didn’t know where we wanted to go. Rent prices were going through the roof and we wanted a change. As a family and a married couple, we were and are great. A solid unit. But there was something missing. Something not right. We felt boxed in, closed off, and bogged down with obligations that we didn’t feel fit our life anymore.
After a month of staying with my in-laws to figure out where we wanted to go next, we took the leap and signed a lease to an apartment (site unseen), 302 miles away from both of our families and childhood homes. I am not usually a person who seeks out big life-altering changes. I totally thought we’d always stick around our home town, or at least within the neighboring cities, and be content. And I knew moving away from family would be hard and it has been. But something else was calling for us and we had to take the chance and answer that call.
I will never regret that.
I can’t say that we were running away from anything, but that we were running TO something. Running to a more carefree life that fit our wants and needs more. Running to a future centered more on our souls. Running to the ocean. This was not a financial decision. This was not an avoidance move. This move was absolutely necessary for our souls. This was us answering a calling that was loud and clear. A calling for a simpler life. A less demanding life. A life with sandy toes and salty kisses. This move was essential to feed our souls.
A month later, we left the DFW area and made the supposed-to-be 5 hour drive. More like 7 hours with kids… The thoughts running through my head and out of my mouth when we started to see the city limit signs were big and vast and a little conflicting. Lots of excitement, little bits of hesitancy, lots of “oh my God, we’re actually doing this” and a tiny “holy shit, I hope we didn’t make a big mistake…” and many, many, many more “Heck Yeahs” than I can count. We made it. We were in Victoria, Texas. And we were happy.
Living in Victoria, instead of a direct beach town, gives us easier access to many different beaches. We wanted to dip our toes into the water of “coastal living” if you will. And I’m so glad we did. We’ve been able to visit several beaches and towns and enjoy different aspects of all of them. My soul is happy here.
THIS is what I was missing.
The beach. The ocean. The wind. The waves. The sea gulls. The sand. This.
