Moving forward

This photo was taken in an alleyway in my hometown of Elmira, New York. In truth, I haven’t always thought or spoken kindly of the place where I grew up. There are many reasons behind that, but a main reason was that I never felt comfortable living there and was always looking to be somewhere else. 

The reality is, it wasn’t my hometown that had me feeling that way. It was all within myself. I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin, in who I was, so I was constantly looking for that “other” place to be. That place that would make me feel happy, and like I belonged. 

I have now traveled a lot in my life, visited many other places and I have come to realize, when you aren’t comfortable in your own skin, it doesn’t matter the town or the city that surrounds you. 

A prominent human trait is that when we aren’t strongly connected to our emotional self, we are constantly looking outside of ourselves for comfort or validation. It has taken some time, but I now understand that no matter where I am moving to in this life, if I am comfortable in me, I can be comfortable anywhere. Movement is always going to stir up what we haven’t yet healed, but it also is the answer to our own healing. And as we move forward in our lives, as we get present, we have the chance to honor and care for our former self with love. 

This photo is now the first one on my website. It’s me, the name of my hometown and the words “Moving Forward”. I believe that when we heal ourselves, we move forward with healing both generations past and future.  

I honor my past and my future by taking care of myself in the present. I invite you to do the same. 
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