I wanted to talk about the most spontaneous thing I’ve ever done in my life; packing up 24 years of my life and moving to Texas. It was the first time I lived on my own and it was 1,664 miles away from the home where I grew up. I always had this feeling about Texas. I never knew what it was because I was never into the whole “country thing” or being around a million farms, which is not the case in all of Texas. I met some friends that were living in Texas and after a few years of keeping in contact and them visiting me I decided I’m going to take the opportunity to go to Texas. I went for vacation for a little bit to find a job and see if I really did enjoy Texas. Well within a week I had found a job, nothing special but it was my ticket to Texas. I thought to myself, you know what, I don’t have a great paying job, I may never have this opportunity again, why not!
The friends that allowed me to stay with them said they would come help me move within the next week and drive with me along with let me stay at their house until I got on my feet.
Well, the bad news was the day before they were supposed to get on the plane to come help me move they completely backed out. They weren’t coming to help me and they pretty much said “you’re on your own kid.”
After that phone call my whole world came crumbling down because I already put my two weeks in at my job and they already hired a replacement, I have a job in Texas, I really want to go, what if I don’t make it, what if I don’t go and regret it???? My dad looked at me and said that if I really wanted to go he would help me find an apartment last minute and if I don’t like it I can always come back home. We found an apartment and my mom was so nervous about my drive down to Texas, well I had two driving buddies so I was ok.
I drove through Pennsylvania which is one of the worst states to drive through and after driving across PA, my friend and I switched. Once we made it into Ohio we hit such bad traffic, and I was sleeping in the back next to all of my stuff and I could barely move but I used all my clothes as a pillow.
After Ohio we stopped in Kentucky and we bought KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), figures right? After Kentucky we drove straight through Tennessee into Arkansas.
Once we hit Texas I was asleep but my friend woke me up and told me to drive home! Let me tell you how long of a drive that was, I was driving for 6 hours and STILL didn’t reach my destination.
I tried to make it in Texas, skyped with my friends and family almost every night. I talked to my mom every day because she wanted to make sure I was ok with my epilepsy and no twitches or jerks. Everything was fine except I was feeling extremely homesick. 
About a few weeks later my brother came up with a brilliant idea because he knew how much I missed home. He mentioned to get a dog because animals always help. My brother even decided to do research and found an animal shelter right around the corner from my apartment and he even called to find out hours of operation, what you need to become an adopting owner, and what kind of dogs they had. When I went I decided to get a cute little puggle (half pug, half beagle) and ever since that day she has become my world. She brightens up my day and I honestly don’t know where I would be without her today. She has made me a more caring, nurturing, understanding, and responsible person.
Even though I had a dog and I was living the life in nice weather, with a job, and being on my own and FINALLY in Texas I was still home sick. I was also getting worried about my epilepsy, what happens if I have a seizure?
I spoke to my parents and even though there were many reasons why I came back home one reason was my epilepsy. My parents and myself felt better and more at ease if I came back home.
After our final decision I was trying to find someone who would fly down to Texas and help me back home. One of my friends was all for it and the same thing happened again (with a different friend) the day before their plane was ready to come to Texas they backed out and tried to make excuses about why they couldn’t come. My parents had paid for their wasted ticket and now I had no one coming to take me home.
I called my dad and told him the news. He couldn’t believe that this had happened not once but TWICE. Of course he was mad but he quickly realized, he has to answer the question of now what? I had already quit my job, asked the landlord if they could terminate my lease early, and I was already packed and ready to start packing up my car.
I told my dad I could make the drive by myself, I think when I said this his jaw might have dropped. Him and my mom asked me a million times if I was sure because they could somehow get my dad to Texas. My parents and I came up with a plan and how much driving I would do a day along with where I would stop and making sure the hotels were pet friendly. Now I was starting to go into survival mode as corny as that sounds.
After 3 days and a stop in Little Rock Arkansas, and the border of Kentucky and Ohio I was finally home. It was very difficult driving back with my dog because she was still a nervous little girl thinking she’s going back to the shelter so she jumped out of the window at a rest stop then jumped out of the sun roof while I was pumping my own gas and was just all around a pain. Even though she was a pain, she was what kept me going, and I turned into a mom and knew I had to keep her and myself safe.
After a few months of living on my own 1664 miles away from home I realized a lot and I experienced a totally different life. I also realized something extremely important that the friends I had were never really my friends. When I came home I broke all contact with the people who left my side and realized nothing is more important than family and I reconnected with my parents and little brother. I was happy I went even though I came home because if I didn’t’ I would have been thinking “what if?” I realized that my epilepsy does tie me down but to an extent. I think I could have made it in Texas, it was just wrong timing for me, and I think I went for the wrong reasons. I am learning that now and I think one day I’ll be living in the lonestar state but for now I will just visit. Y’all come back now ya hear?!
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