Going Once, Going Twice

I got a job in Berlin

And i'll be moving there in six weeks

This'll be the fourth time I've moved to a new country by myself

Every time I do this, I overpack

I bring T-shirts I never wear, pillows I replace, mementos of events I firmly remember

On the last three moves, part of the preparation was thinking of all the things I wanted to change about myself in my new country

That'll be different this time, I would think, jotting down habits

It's tempting to think of a relocation as a reboot.

Or a facelift.

But really it's just a costume change.

You're the same lumpy you, just with a new social security number.

So this time I'm focusing on the stuff I want to do, not be:

Run, not walk.

Laugh, not think.

Show, not tell.

Make, not spectate.

Ultimately, your bad habits are the only thing you really take with you. And I'm not leaving a single one of mine behind.